World Central Kitchen Gaza – food aid suspended following deaths of charity workers
The World Central Kitchen (WCK) has said they will suspend operations in Gaza following the death of seven of its workers in Israeli air strikes.
The WCK says the workers killed were British, Australian, Polish, Palestinian and a dual US-Canadian citizen.
The international food charity said the workers were part of an aid convoy leaving a warehouse in central Gaza.
The IDF said it was conducting a “thorough review” into the incident.
Today @WCKitchen lost several of our sisters and brothers in an IDF air strike in Gaza. I am heartbroken and grieving for their families and friends and our whole WCK family. These are people…angels…I served alongside in Ukraine, Gaza, Turkey, Morocco, Bahamas, Indonesia. They… https://t.co/rM3xbsiQ1Q
— Chef José Andrés 🕊️🥘🍳 (@chefjoseandres) April 1, 2024
WCK is a key supplier of aid in Gaza which is currently on the brink of a manmade famine.
The charity said the aid convoy was hit while leaving the Deir al-Balah warehouse, “where the team had unloaded more than 100 tons of humanitarian food aid brought to Gaza on the maritime route.”
The charity said it had coordinated the convoy’s movements with the IDF when it was hit.
“I am heartbroken and appalled that we – World Central Kitchen and the world – lost beautiful lives today because of a targeted attack by the IDF,” the charity’s CEO Erin Gore said in a statement.
“The love they had for feeding people, the determination they embodied to show that humanity rises above all, and the impact they made in countless lives will forever be remembered and cherished”.
Aid to Gaza suspended – video
Five aid workers from World Central Kitchen were killed in an Israeli air strike in Deir al-Balah, Gaza.
— Middle East Eye (@MiddleEastEye) April 1, 2024
The deceased include nationals from Poland, Australia, Ireland, and the UK. The Israeli army has not commented on the incident. pic.twitter.com/CxKY1uWqFK