5 aid workers killed in strike while delivering food in Gaza, Palestinian officials say
CBC
Five aid workers with the international humanitarian group World Central Kitchen (WCK) were reported to have been killed while delivering food in Gaza on Monday. The Hamas-run Gaza government media office blamed the strike on Israel — while the Israeli military says it's investigating the "tragic incident."
The source of strike could not be independently confirmed.
Commenting on the reports, the Israeli military said it is "conducting a thorough review at the highest levels to understand the circumstances."
"The [Israel Defence Forces] makes extensive efforts to enable the safe delivery of humanitarian aid, and has been working closely with WCK in their vital efforts to provide food and humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza," the military said in a statement on its Telegram channel on Monday.
WCK said it was aware of reports that members of its team were killed in an Israeli attack while delivering food in Gaza on Monday.
"This is a tragedy. Humanitarian aid workers and civilians should NEVER be a target. EVER," the organization said in a post on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.
The Gaza government media office said four foreigners and one Palestinian were among the dead.
Mahmoud Thabet is a Palestinian Red Crescent paramedic who was on the team that brought the bodies to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah, Gaza. He told The Associated Press the aid workers were in a three-car convoy that was crossing out of northern Gaza when an Israeli missile hit.
Thabet said he was told by WCK staff that they had been in the north, co-ordinating distribution of newly arrived aid and were heading back to Rafah in the south.
Video footage from the hospital showed the bodies of the five dead. Several of them wore protective gear with the charity's logo.
Hospital staff showed the passports of three of the dead — they were British, Australian and Polish citizens.
The nationality of the fourth foreign aid worker was not immediately known.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed the death of Australian aid worker Lalzawmi "Zomi" Frankcom and said his government had contacted Israel to demand those responsible be held accountable.
"This is a human tragedy that should never have occurred, that is completely unacceptable and Australia will seek full and proper accountability," he said at a news conference on Tuesday.
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