Three British, US-Canadian workers killed in Israeli strike on Gaza aid convoy

April 2, 2024 5:16 pm

Palestinians stand next to a vehicle where employees from the World Central Kitchen (WCK), including foreigners, were killed in an Israeli airstrike, according to the NGO as the Israeli military said it was conducting a thorough review at the highest levels to understand the circumstances of this "tragic" incident, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in Deir Al-Balah, in the central Gaza, Strip April 2, 2024. REUTERS/Ahmed Zako

Seven people working for a food aid charity in Gaza have been killed in an airstrike by the Israeli military.

World Central Kitchen (WCK), the not-for-profit humanitarian aid centre, said three of the aid workers killed were British citizens.

Other aid workers were identified as Damian Sobol, a Polish; Lalzawmi “Zomi” Frankcom, an Australian; Palestinian and US-Canadian.

The WCK said the victims were part of an aid convoy that was leaving a warehouse in central Gaza on Monday before the Israeli air strike hit them.

“This is unforgivable. This is not only an attack against WCK, this is an attack on humanitarian organisations showing up in the most dire of situations where food is being used as a weapon of war,” Erin Gore, the chief executive officer of the charity said.

Mélanie Joly, Canada’s foreign minister, said she was “horrified” to hear about the airstrikes and confirmed a Canadian citizen was among the dead.

” I am horrified to hear reports of the IDF strike taking the lives of 7 World Central Kitchen employees in Gaza yesterday, including a Canadian citizen,” she wrote on X.

“We condemn these strikes & call for a full investigation. expects full accountability for these killings & we will convey this to the Israeli government directly. Strikes on humanitarian personnel is absolutely unacceptable. International humanitarian law must be respected.”

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli prime minister, described the incident as “unintended” and “tragic”.

“These things happen in wartime. An investigation is underway, and officials are checking this thoroughly and will do everything for this not to happen again,” Netanyahu said.