Four international aid workers from the World Central Kitchen charity, along with their Palestinian driver, were killed in a strike on their vehicle in central Gaza late Monday, said the health ministry in Gaza.
According to the reports 'they were returning after assisting in the delivery of food and other supplies to northern Gaza when their car was hit by a bomb', the officials stated.
In a post on X, creator of the charity kitchen Jose Andres said, "World Central Kitchen lost several sisters and brothers in an IDF air strike in Gaza. I am sorry and weeping for their families, friends, and the whole WCK family."
The bodies of the five deceased were seen on video at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah, a town in central Gaza. Several of them donned protective gear bearing the charity's emblem.
Staff displayed the passports of three of the deceased: British, Australian, and Polish. The nationality of the assistance worker was not immediately determined.
In response, the IDF did not confirm whether it was responsible for the attack, but said it was "carrying out an in-depth examination at the highest levels to understand the circumstances of this tragic incident."
However, they did agree that its forces were "making great efforts to enable the safe delivery of humanitarian aid, and has worked closely with the World Central Kitchen in its efforts to provide food and humanitarian aid to Gaza residents."
Further, WCK in a statement on X said, "We are aware of reports that members of the World Central Kitchen team have been killed in an IDF attack while working to support our humanitarian food delivery efforts in Gaza”, adding that “This is tragic. Humanitarian relief workers and civilians should never be targeted. EVER.”
Meanwhile, the Australian PM said, our government has urgently taken up the matter with Israel and investigations are underway.”
The conflict began on October 7, when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel, killing 1,200 people, the majority of them civilians, and kidnapping around 250 more.
Hamas claims that at least 32,845 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since the war, the majority of whom happen to be civilians. Israel also claims to have killed about 1,000 gunmen inside Israel on October 7.
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