A series of Israeli failures, including a breakdown in communication and violations of the rules of engagement, led to deadly airstrikes killing seven humanitarian aid workers in the Gaza Strip. Senior Israeli military officials stated that the officers who ordered the strikes violated the army’s protocols by opening fire based on insufficient and erroneous evidence that a passenger in one of the cars was armed. The incident caused international outrage and raised questions about the targeting process in Gaza. President Joe Biden announced that U.S. aid would be influenced by Israel’s conduct in the conflict.
The Israeli military announced that two officers would be dismissed, and others reprimanded for the grave mistake that resulted in the deaths of the aid workers. The military admitted that the attack stemmed from a mistaken identification, errors in decision-making, and an attack contrary to standard operating procedures. World Central Kitchen, the relief group whose aid workers were killed, called for an independent inquiry, stating that avoiding further humanitarian deaths was not enough. The group’s operations distributing meals to Palestinians in Gaza remained suspended.
Israeli forces began striking the World Central Kitchen convoy as it traveled along Gaza’s coast, killing six foreign nationals and a Palestinian. Despite coordination with the Israeli military and clear markings on the vehicles, errors led the troops to open fire on the convoy. Drone footage failed to capture the organization’s logo, some officers did not review documentation showing civilian cars in the convoy, and an aid worker was mistakenly identified as a member of an armed Palestinian group. The convoy had arrived earlier in Gaza to deliver food aid and was targeted while returning to the warehouse.
After the convoy arrived at the warehouse, Israeli drone footage showed more gunmen at the scene, leading officers to believe it was a Hamas militant attempt to seize aid. The cars then left the warehouse, and within minutes, Israeli drones struck each vehicle in the southbound convoy, killing all passengers. The decision to fire on the second and third car, incorrectly assuming they were harboring militants, violated the military’s open-fire protocols. The soldiers were unaware that civilian cars were part of the convoy due to a communications failure.
Critics have accused the Israeli military of disregarding Palestinian civilians in its campaign against Hamas. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed regret over the incident and the White House threatened to condition future support for Israel on addressing concerns about civilian casualties and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Israel committed to allowing more food and supplies into the besieged enclave in response to Biden’s concerns.
