• Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron condemned the deaths of seven World Central Kitchen (WCK) aid workers, urging Israel to investigate the incident.
• WCK CEO Erin Gore criticised the attack as a targeted assault by the IDF.
Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron expressed dismay over the deaths of seven World Central Kitchen (WCK) aid workers in a strike, deeming the incident “completely unacceptable” and urging Israel to conduct an immediate investigation.
WCK, which has paused its operations in Gaza, said other victims in Monday’s strike were Australian, Polish, Palestinian and a US-Canadian citizen.
“Israel attributed the deaths of the aid workers to an “unintended strike,” clarifying that the team had been departing the Deir al-Balah warehouse after unloading food aid.
In response to the fatalities, the UK summoned the Israeli ambassador for the first time in 12 years. Lord Cameron emphasized the imperative of elucidating the circumstances behind the incident and implementing substantial measures to safeguard aid workers on the ground.
Development minister Andrew Mitchell, who summoned the Israeli ambassador to the UK, said he shared the government’s ‘unequivocal condemnation’ over the aid workers’ deaths.”
Addressing the strike, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called for a humanitarian ceasefire to facilitate the evacuation of hostages and the delivery of aid to the region.
PM Netanyahu released a video message on Tuesday in which he said Israeli forces were behind the attack.
“While the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) vowed a comprehensive review of the incident, WCK chief executive Erin Gore called the strike a ‘targeted attack by the IDF’.
In remembrance of the victims, Ms Gore said she was ‘heartbroken and appalled’ at the ‘beautiful lives’ lost in the attack.
So far Australian Lalzawmi Frankcom, Polish national Damian Sobol and Palestinian Saif Abu Taha have been named as three of the seven aid workers killed.
WCK said the charity coordinated their movements with the IDF and the aid workers had been in two cars branded with WCK’s logo and another vehicle.
The charity will temporarily halt its activities in the area and plans to assess the trajectory of its mission, sparking concerns about the potential collapse of a vital maritime route from Cyprus to provide crucial aid to Gaza, amidst ongoing Israeli interference.
Cyprus announced on Tuesday afternoon that vessels carrying 240 tonnes of aid, which had recently reached Gaza, were being forced to return without delivering their cargo.
In February, over 100 individuals were killed as Israeli forces fired upon an aid distribution centre in Gaza City. While the Israeli military of course, endeavoured to conceal their actions- attributing most casualties to a stampede, Palestinian officials and eyewitnesses asserted that the majority of those hospitalised had sustained gunshot wounds.
The United Nations has highlighted the dire situation in the coastal enclave, with at least 576,000 residents – a quarter of the population – teetering on the brink of famine. Pressure mounts for a ceasefire and for Israel to bolster the flow of aid into the region. Aid ships, arriving on Monday, carried 400 tonnes of food and supplies – sufficient for 1 million meals – in a shipment funded by the United Arab Emirates and coordinated by WCK. However, only 100 tonnes had been unloaded before the attack prompted the charity to recall the vessels to Cyprus.
Over 32,000 Palestinians have been killed in the ensuing Israeli offensive, according to the local health ministry.
S2J News unequivocally condemns the killing of all innocent civilians, in accordance Islamic teachings.
