TEL AVIV. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has described the deadly airstrike that killed seven aid workers from celebrity chef Jose Andres’ World Central Kitchen charity in Gaza as unintended and “tragic,” promising a thorough investigation into the incident.
The Israeli military confirmed the strike on a WCK convoy, resulting in casualties from Australia, Britain, Poland, and Palestinians, along with a dual citizen of the United States and Canada. The convoy, marked with the charity’s logo, was targeted despite coordinating movements with the Israeli military.
“Unfortunately, in the past day, there was a tragic event in which our forces unintentionally harmed non-combatants in the Gaza Strip,” Netanyahu stated in a video message. “We are conducting a thorough inquiry and are in contact with the governments. We will do everything to prevent a recurrence.”
Despite the Israeli military expressing “sincere sorrow” and initiating an independent investigation, condemnation of the airstrike has been widespread. Erin Gore, CEO of World Central Kitchen, condemned the attack as an assault on humanitarian efforts in war-torn regions.
“This is not only an attack against WCK, this is an attack on humanitarian organizations showing up in the most dire of situations where food is being used as a weapon of war,” Gore remarked. “This is unforgivable.”
The incident has reignited international pressure on Israel to address the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, exacerbated by months of conflict with the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas. The United Nations and other organizations have accused Israel of obstructing aid distribution, contributing to the region’s widespread suffering.
Following the strike, World Central Kitchen announced an immediate pause in its operations in Gaza, with decisions pending on the future of its work in the region.
Amid growing diplomatic scrutiny, countries traditionally friendly to Israel, including Britain, Australia, and Poland, have demanded action to protect aid workers and ensure accountability for those responsible. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed the death of an aid worker and called on Israel to hold perpetrators accountable.
Military expresses ‘sincere sorrow’ over death of aid workers in apparent Israeli airstrike in Gaza. Israel’s military has expressed “sincere sorrow” over the death of several aid workers in an apparent Israeli airstrike in Gaza, while stopping short of accepting responsibility. Military spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said that officials were reviewing the incident at the “highest levels.” The apparent airstrike killed six international aid workers with the World Central Kitchen and their Palestinian driver, in a potentially major setback to efforts to deliver aid by sea to Gaza.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
