Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged on Tuesday that his country’s forces had unintentionally killed seven aid workers in the Gaza Strip, including members of the disaster relief charity World Central Kitchen. The U.S.-based nonprofit, founded by celebrity chef José Andrés, immediately halted its operations in the region following the tragic incident.
Andrés expressed his grief over the loss of his colleagues and called on the Israeli government to cease indiscriminate killings and restrictions on humanitarian aid. The Israel Defense Forces stated that they would launch an investigation into the airstrike, which occurred as the aid workers were leaving a warehouse in central Gaza.
The international community, including the U.S., Australia, Poland, and the U.K., condemned the attack and demanded accountability. World Central Kitchen CEO Erin Gore described the strike as unforgivable and an attack on humanitarian organizations providing essential aid in conflict zones.
The incident has raised concerns about the flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza, where hundreds of thousands of people are facing severe shortages of food and water. The suspension of aid deliveries by World Central Kitchen adds to the uncertainty surrounding relief efforts in the region.
As Israel faces criticism for the deadly strike, Prime Minister Netanyahu pledged to prevent such incidents from happening again and expressed regret over the unintentional killing of innocent people. The international community continues to call for a thorough investigation into the tragic event.