Seven aid workers with World Central Kitchen were tragically killed in Gaza when their convoy was hit by an Israeli strike, resulting in condemnation and an apology from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The convoy, consisting of three vehicles, had just left a food warehouse in Deir al-Balah when it came under fire late Monday night or early Tuesday morning. Video footage verified by The New York Times showed two destroyed vehicles, one of which had the World Central Kitchen logo on its roof. The victims included six foreign nationals and one Palestinian, with one victim identified as Australian citizen Zomi Frankcom, a senior manager at World Central Kitchen.
Prime Minister Netanyahu took responsibility for the “unintentional” attack, stating in a video message that Israeli forces had unintentionally harmed innocent people in Gaza. While the Israeli military did not publicly claim responsibility for the strike, an Israeli military official confirmed that an initial inquiry concluded Israeli forces were responsible for the attack on the convoy. The official also mentioned that the incident would be further investigated by the Fact Finding and Assessment Mechanism, a military body tasked with probing battlefield incidents. However, human rights groups have criticized the Israeli military’s ability to transparently investigate itself, suggesting that such investigations rarely lead to indictments.
The World Central Kitchen staff members killed in the attack had just unloaded more than 100 tons of food brought to Gaza by sea at the warehouse before embarking on their fatal journey. Palestinian medics retrieved the bodies of the victims following the strike, and the bodies were then taken to a hospital in Deir al-Balah before being transported out of the enclave into Egypt. The incident raised questions about the type of munition used in the attack and whether it was launched from the ground, a warplane, or a drone, as well as the specific circumstances surrounding the tragic event.
The victims of the convoy attack included individuals from Australia, Poland, Britain, the United States, Canada, and one Palestinian. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of Australia confirmed the death of Australian citizen Zomi Frankcom, expressing grief over the loss of a senior manager from his country. While Prime Minister Netanyahu extended condolences to the families of the victims and pledged to prevent such incidents from happening in the future, he did not explicitly name World Central Kitchen in his remarks. The Israeli military chief of staff, Gen. Herzi Halevi, was expected to review the findings of the initial inquiry into the attack on the convoy on Tuesday evening.
Despite the tragic loss of life in the attack on the World Central Kitchen convoy, questions remain about the accountability and transparency of the Israeli military in investigating the incident. While Prime Minister Netanyahu acknowledged the unintentional harm caused to innocent people in Gaza, the military’s internal investigation process and the involvement of the Fact Finding and Assessment Mechanism will be crucial in determining the circumstances of the attack and preventing similar tragedies in the future. The international community will be closely watching the developments in this case as efforts are made to hold those responsible accountable for the loss of seven aid workers in Gaza.
