Seven support employees with World Central Kitchen have been killed when their convoy got here beneath hearth in a single day between Monday and Tuesday, in response to the help group and Palestinian well being officers in Gaza.
The catastrophe reduction group, based by the Spanish chef José Andrés, mentioned members of its workers have been hit in an Israeli strike, the Israeli military mentioned the episode was being investigated, with out taking duty for the strike. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel acknowledged on Tuesday a “tragic case of our forces unintentionally hitting harmless folks”
Right here’s what we all know.
The convoy of three automobiles had simply left a meals warehouse.
The World Central Kitchen workers members have been leaving a warehouse in Deir al-Balah, a metropolis within the central Gaza Strip, when their convoy, two armored automobiles and a 3rd automobile got here beneath hearth, the group mentioned in a press release. The exact time of the episode has not been decided, but it surely was late Monday evening or simply after midnight on Tuesday.
The Israeli navy had been knowledgeable of support employees’ actions, the charity mentioned. Support employees had simply unloaded greater than 100 tons of meals dropped at Gaza by sea on the warehouse, in response to the group.
Video footage filmed by a Palestinian journalist and verified by The New York Instances reveals no less than two destroyed white automobiles on the scene. One of many automobiles was left with a gaping gap in its roof, which was clearly marked with the World Central Kitchen brand. Papers bearing the WCK brand may be seen contained in the charred inside of the second automobile.
It remained unclear on Tuesday morning what kind of munition struck the automobiles and whether or not these explosives have been launched from the bottom, from a warplane or from a drone.
Six international nationals and a Palestinian have been killed.
The strike’s victims included a Palestinian and 6 international nationals, together with folks from Australia, Poland, Britain, the US and Canada.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of Australia recognized one of many victims as Zomi Frankcom, an Australian citizen and a senior supervisor at World Central Kitchen.
Palestinian medics retrieved the our bodies of the seven victims earlier than dashing them to the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ hospital in Deir al-Balah, in response to the Palestine Pink Crescent Society. They have been subsequently taken south and can finally be transported out of the enclave into Egypt, the Pink Crescent mentioned in a press release.
The prime minister acknowledges Israeli forces ‘unintentionally harming harmless folks’ within the Gaza Strip.
On Tuesday, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, the chief spokesman of the Israeli military, mentioned the circumstances behind the strike have been nonetheless being investigated “on the highest ranges.” He mentioned the investigation had been referred to the Reality Discovering and Evaluation Mechanism, a navy physique tasked with investigating accusations of probing the circumstances behind battlefield incidents.
“We can be opening a probe to look at this severe incident additional,” he mentioned. “This can assist us cut back the danger of such an occasion from occurring once more.”
The Israeli navy mentioned the mechanism was an “impartial, skilled, and professional physique.” Human rights teams have usually been essential of the Israeli navy’s means to transparently examine itself, charging that probes are sometimes lengthy and infrequently result in indictments.
In a video assertion on Tuesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel referred to a “tragic case of our forces unintentionally harming harmless folks within the Gaza Strip.” Mr. Netanyahu didn’t particularly identify World Central Kitchen in his remarks.
However an Israeli official conversant in the matter, who spoke on situation of anonymity as a result of the strike continues to be beneath investigation, clarified that the prime minister was referencing the strike.
“It occurs in struggle, we’re absolutely inspecting this, we’re in touch with the governments, and we are going to do every little thing in order that this factor doesn’t occur once more,” mentioned Mr. Netanyahu.
Admiral Hagari mentioned he had spoken to Mr. Andrés to specific his condolences on behalf of the Israeli navy, however steered away from formally claiming duty for the strike that killed the help employees.
Vivian Yee and Nader Ibrahim contributed reporting to this text. Gabby Sobelman and Rawan Sheikh Ahmad supplied translation.