World Kitchen demands an independent investigation into an Israeli raid that killed its employees in Gaza
The World Central Kitchen relief organization called for an independent investigation into the circumstances of the Israeli raid that killed 7 of its employees in the central Gaza Strip earlier this week.
The organization said in a statement on Thursday that it called on the governments of Australia, Canada, the United States, Poland, and Britain to join it in demanding an independent third-party investigation into the Israeli attack.
Targeting 3 cars carrying civilians
It stated that the Israeli attack on its convoy, which occurred last Monday night, “included several strikes and targeted 3 cars carrying civilians.”
She said in a statement, “We demand an independent investigation into the circumstances of an Israeli raid that killed 7 of our employees in Gaza.”
She added that she called on Israel “to preserve all documents, communications, and recordings related to the attack on our convoy in Gaza to ensure the integrity of the investigation,” considering that an independent investigation “is the only way to know the truth about what happened in the Gaza attack and ensure transparency and hold those responsible accountable.”
The famous chef Jose Andres, founder of the World Central Kitchen charity, told Reuters in an interview on Wednesday that the Israeli attack that led to the killing of seven of the organization’s employees in Gaza targeted them “systematically, one vehicle after another.” He added that the organization was in clear contact with the Israeli army, which was aware of the movements of its employees.
“They targeted us in a demilitarized zone.”
Andres said that the Israeli army was aware of the convoy’s whereabouts. He called for investigations into this incident from the United States government and from the governments of the countries to which every aid worker whose life was lost belonged.
He added, “They were targeting us in a demilitarized zone, in an area controlled by the IDF. They knew that our teams were the ones moving on this road… with three cars.”
Aid workers were killed when their convoy was bombed shortly after they were supervising the unloading of 100 tons of food brought into Gaza by sea. The Israeli army expressed its “deep regret” over the matter, and Prime Minister Netanyahu described it as unintentional.
Citizens of Australia, Britain, and the United States were among seven of the organization’s employees who were killed when their convoy was bombed shortly after they were supervising the unloading of about 100 tons of food brought to Gaza by sea.
The relief organization said that the aid convoy was bombed as it was leaving its warehouse in Deir al-Balah after unloading the aid.
The United Nations said at least 196 workers for aid organizations in Gaza have been killed since October. Hamas has previously accused Israel of targeting aid distribution sites.
Last month, World Central Kitchen began transporting food aid to those facing hunger in northern Gaza via a sea corridor from Cyprus, in cooperation with the Spanish charity Open Arms.
Andres (54 years old), who founded World Central Kitchen in 2010 after the Haiti earthquake, seeks for the organization to avoid routine obstacles around the world to accelerate the delivery of aid to stricken areas, including Ukraine after the Russian invasion.
The war broke out after an attack by Hamas fighters on southern Israel on October 7, which according to Israel claimed the lives of about 1,200 Israelis and foreigners.
Since then, the ongoing Israeli attack has destroyed a large part of the Strip and led to the displacement of most of its 2.3 million residents. The Ministry of Health in the Hamas-controlled Strip said that the war has so far claimed the lives of about 33,000 Palestinians.
