Saifeddin Abutaha, a 25-year-old aid worker for World Central Kitchen, tragically lost his life in an Israeli missile strike while he was delivering aid across the Gaza Strip. He was dedicated to his work, constantly checking in with his family and making plans for Ramadan. His family, especially his mother Inshirah, is struggling to accept his death and continue with their lives. Saif’s tragic death is just one example of the many Palestinian aid workers who have been killed in the recent conflict in Gaza.
The killing of seven aid workers, including Saifeddin Abutaha, on April 1 in an Israeli attack has sparked international outrage. Most of the aid workers killed in the conflict have been Palestinians, highlighting the risks that local workers face in humanitarian missions in war zones. Palestinian workers like Saifeddin play a crucial role in providing aid in Gaza, relying on their local knowledge and connections to serve their communities. Despite working for a well-known international organization like World Central Kitchen, Saif’s life was still cut short in the attack.
World Central Kitchen had established a base in Gaza and had a close relationship with the Israeli military for coordination purposes. Saifeddin Abutaha worked as a driver and translator for the organization, using his skills to help foreign staff navigate the complex situation in Gaza. Despite the supposed coordination with the Israeli army, the aid convoy that Saif was part of was still targeted in the attack. The Israeli military has acknowledged that it was a grave mistake, but World Central Kitchen is calling for an independent investigation into the incident.
Before the war, Saif had a promising future, having studied in the United Arab Emirates and worked there before returning to help run his family’s business in Gaza. The family business, a flour mill, was also impacted by the conflict, leaving them struggling to survive. World Central Kitchen stepped in to help, using their warehouse as a base for their operations and hiring Saif to assist them. Saif’s family developed a close bond with the aid workers, sharing meals and supporting each other through the traumas of war.
On the day of his death, Saif had been out delivering aid with the World Central Kitchen team, traveling from their facility in southern Gaza to the north. He had been in touch with his family throughout the day, sending his last messages to his sister and mother in the evening. Saif’s family finds solace in the fact that he died while helping others during Ramadan, but they are still struggling with the loss. World Central Kitchen is demanding answers and accountability for the tragic deaths of their workers, highlighting the risks that aid workers face in conflict zones like Gaza.
