Israel admits airstrike ‘unintentionally’ killed aid workers in Gaza

JERUSALEM: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday Israel mistakenly killed seven people working for the aid charity World Central Kitchen in a Gaza airstrike, and the US and other allies called for explanations amid widespread condemnation.

Israel’s military voiced “sincere sorrow” over the incident, which ratcheted up international pressure for steps to ease the disastrous humanitarian situation in Gaza nearly six months into Israel’s siege and invasion of the Palestinian enclave.

The strike on the World Central Kitchen convoy killed citizens of Australia, Britain and Poland as well as Palestinians and a dual citizen of the United States and Canada.

WCK, which was founded by celebrity chef Jose Andres, said its staff were traveling in two armored cars emblazoned with the charity’s logo and another vehicle, and had coordinated their 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 said in a video statement.

“This happens in war. We are conducting a thorough inquiry and are in contact with the governments. We will do everything to prevent a recurrence.”

The Israeli military pledged an investigation by “an independent, professional and expert body”.

At least 196 humanitarian workers have been killed in Gaza since October, according to the United Nations, and Hamas has previously accused Israel of targeting aid distribution sites.

In a call on Tuesday, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak told Netanyahu that Britain was appalled by the deaths, which included three Britons, and demanded a thorough and transparent independent investigation.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he expressed “anger and concern” to Netanyahu in a separate call.

The United States said that there was no evidence Israel deliberately targeted the aid workers but that it was outraged by their deaths and Israel had an obligation to ensure aid workers in Gaza were not harmed.

US President Joe Biden called WCK founder Andres to express condolences. Washington will press Israel to do more to protect aid workers, the White House said.

“These people are heroes, they run into the fire, not away from it,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said of the seven aid workers, speaking to reporters in Paris. “We shouldn’t have a situation where people who are simply trying to help their fellow human beings are themselves at grave risk.”

The United Nations, which has warned of a looming famine in Gaza, again called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said. Israel has been under rising international pressure to alleviate severe hunger in Gaza.

The aid convoy was hit as it was leaving its Deir al-Balah warehouse after unloading more than 100 tons of food aid brought to Gaza by sea, WCK said.

“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,” said Erin Gore, chief executive of World Central Kitchen.

The US-based charity said it would pause its work in Gaza, and the United Arab Emirates, which has financed the seaborne food deliveries to Gaza that WCK distributed, said it was putting the shipments on hold pending safety guarantees from Israel and a full investigation.

Australia, Britain and Poland, countries which have generally been friendly towards Israel, all demanded action to protect aid workers, underscoring Netanyahu’s increasing diplomatic isolation over Gaza.

The United Nations and other international groups have accused Israel of hindering aid distribution with bureaucratic obstacles and failing to ensure the security of food convoys, underlined by a disaster on Feb 29, in which around 100 people were killed as they awaited an aid delivery.

Hamas has said the main problem with aid distribution is Israeli targeting of aid workers. After the latest incident, it issued a statement saying the attack aimed to terrorize workers of international humanitarian agencies, deterring them from their missions.

Andres, who started WCK in 2010 by sending cooks and food to Haiti after an earthquake, said he was heartbroken and grieving for the families and friends of those who died in the airstrike.

“The Israeli government … needs to stop restricting humanitarian aid, stop killing civilians and aid workers, and stop using food as a weapon,” he said.