[ad_1]
Israel is facing increasing international pressure due to an air strike that killed seven aid workers for the World Central Kitchen charity in Gaza.
The United Kingdom, Poland, Australia, Canada and the United States, whose citizens were killed in the attack, called on Israel to investigate.
Humanitarian aid to Gaza is now in doubt, with WCK – one of the main providers of aid to the Strip – suspending its operations.
The Israeli army promised to conduct an independent investigation into the incident.
Three of the dead aid workers were British citizens. A Polish citizen, an Australian citizen, a Palestinian citizen, and a dual US-Canadian citizen were also killed.
The Israeli Ambassador in London, Tzipi HotovelyHe was summoned to meet British Minister of State Andrew Mitchell on Tuesday.
Mitchell told Ms. Hotovely that the government condemned the “horrific killing” of aid workers and requested “a prompt and transparent investigation, shared with the international community, and full accountability.”
Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said he called for an independent investigation Israel KatzHis Israeli counterpart.
Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Jolie said she expected “full accountability” for the killings, adding that attacks on humanitarian workers were “completely unacceptable.”
“Someone has to provide aid and humanitarian assistance [never] Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said: “They lost their lives.”
Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken called for “a rapid, comprehensive and impartial investigation to understand exactly what happened.”
He added that he condemned “the record number of humanitarian workers killed in this particular conflict.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu admitted that Israeli forces had beaten “innocent people” and pledged to conduct an independent investigation.
He said, “Unfortunately, during the past 24 hours, a tragic case occurred as our forces unintentionally struck innocent people in the Gaza Strip.”
“It happens in war, and we are checking it to the end, we are in contact with governments, and we will do everything so that this thing does not happen again.”
WCK – founded by celebrity chef José Andrés – said four days ago that it had provided 42 million meals in Gaza.
The charity said it would Stop its operations In the area immediately. “We will be making decisions about the future of our work soon,” the charity said in a statement.
It said on March 29 that it had provided more than 42 million meals in the Strip, making it one of the main suppliers of aid to Gaza. The charity said it sent more than 1,700 food trucks to the Strip.
The charity added that it sent approximately 435,000 meals by sea to Gaza.
According to Cogat, the Israeli Defense Ministry body responsible for civilian policy in the occupied Palestinian territories, WCK is responsible for 60% of non-governmental aid entering the Palestinian territories.
Another charity, the American Foundation for Near East Refugee Assistance (ANERA), which has been working closely with WCK, told the BBC that it would also freeze its operations in Gaza.
Some aid workers Those killed have been named like:
-
Lalzaoumi “Zomi” Frankcom, an Australian citizen
-
Damian Sobol, Polish citizen
-
Saif Abu Taha, Palestinian
According to the charity, the aid convoy was bombed as it was leaving the Deir al-Balah warehouse, “where the team unloaded more than 100 tons of humanitarian food aid that was brought to Gaza via the sea route.”
The convoy consisted of three vehicles, including two armored vehicles, clearly bearing the association’s logo. The three were injured during the raid.
WCK said it coordinated the convoy's movements with the Israeli army.
More than 196 aid workers have been killed in Gaza since October, according to the US-funded Aid Worker Security Database, which records major incidents of violence against aid workers. Not all were killed in the line of duty.
Much of the Gaza Strip was devastated during Israeli military operations that began after Hamas militants attacked southern Israel on October 7, killing about 1,200 people and taking 253 hostage.
About 130 hostages remain in captivity, and at least 34 of them are presumed dead.
The Hamas-run Health Ministry says more than 32,916 people have been killed in Gaza since then.
[ad_2]
Source