World Central Kitchen aid convoy attack

World Central Kitchen drone strikes
Part of Israel–Hamas war
Location	Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories
Date	1 April 2024
Target	Three World Central Kitchen cars
Attack type	Drone strikes
Deaths	7
Injured	Unknown
Perpetrators	Israeli Air Force

On 1 April 2024, an Israeli drone fired three consecutive missiles at three cars belonging to the World Central Kitchen, killing seven aid workers who had been distributing food in the northern Gaza Strip, which has been pushed closed to famine by Israel's invasion and blockade during the Israel-Hamas war.

Five of the dead were taken to Aqsa Martyrs Hospital and were seen wearing protective gear showing the charity's logo. Four of the seven were respectively citizens of the United Kingdom, Australia, Poland, the United States, and Canada.

The drone strikes occurred hours after the charity brought shipload of food to the northern Gaza Strip, which has been pushed closed to famine by Israel's invasion and blockade during the Israel-Hamas war. The charity in a statement said that it had coordinated the convoy's movements with the Israeli military.

The incident led the World Central Kitchen to pause its operations in the Gaza Strip, and its chief executive Erin Gore said in a statement: "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. This is unforgivable." Gore called the drone strikes a "targeted attack" by the Israeli military. The attack also received international condemnations.

Drone strikes

On 1 April 2024, an Israeli drone fired three missiles consecutively at a three-car World Central Kitchen (WCK) aid convoy, killing all seven aid workers in them. The cars had left Monday night to escort an aid truck that was heading to a food warehouse in Deir al-Balah in the central region of the Gaza Strip. An armed man was seen on the truck, which had arrived at the warehouse. Both the truck and the armed man had stayed in the warehouse, but the three cars left on a coordinated and pre-approved route with the Israeli military.

While driving after having left the food warehouse, an Israeli drone fired a missile at one of the three WCK cars, and the aid workers affected were transferred to one of the two remaining cars, which continued driving and notified the Israeli military that they had been attacked. Nevertheless, another missile hit their car a few seconds later. Wounded survivors in the second car were being transferred to the third car when a third missile from the drone struck, killing all seven. An Israeli drone fired three missiles according to defense sources because "the war room of the unit responsible for security of the route that the convoy traveled identified an armed man on the truck and suspected that he was a terrorist." According to WCK, the strike occurred in spite of vehicle logos and "coordinating movements" with Israeli forces in the "deconflicted zone".

The drone strikes came hours after the WCK charity brought shipload of food to the northern Gaza Strip, which has been pushed closed to famine by Israel's invasion and blockade during the Israel-Hamas war. More than 173 UNRWA staff have been killed by Israeli forces during the Israel-Hamas war on 7 October 2023.

Victims

Seven people were killed who were taken to Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah, and were seen wearing protective gear showing the charity's logo. Among them were confirmed British, Australian, Polish and dual Palestinian-American and Palestinian-Canadian nationals. including seven World Central Kitchen aid workers. The casualties included:

• Saif Abu Taha, a Palestinian local from Rafah
• Damian Sobòl, a Polish national from Przemysl
• Lalzawmi "Zomi" Frankcom, an Australian national
• A British and an Irish national, as yet unidentified
• A dual Canadian-American citizen

Reactions

The incident led the World Central Kitchen to pause its operations in the Gaza Strip, and its chief executive Erin Gore said in a statement: "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. This is unforgivable." Gore continued: "We — World Central Kitchen and the world — lost beautiful lives today because of a targeted attack by the IDF."

Spanish chef José Andrés, the founder of the World Central Kitchen charity, wrote that: "I am heartbroken and grieving for their families and friends and our whole WCK family. These are people … angels … I served alongside in Ukraine, Gaza, Turkey, Morocco, Bahamas, Indonesia. They are not faceless … they are not nameless."

Other countries, officials and organizations that denounced the attack includes: Belgian Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib, European Commission, Iran, Jordan, the UN’s emergency relief chief Martin Griffiths, Norwegian Refugee Council, Open Arms Spanish Organisation, Scotland, WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and World Food Programme Chief Cindy McCain.

The humanitarian group Islamic relief condemned the attack and said that it is "outraged by yet another deadly attack on humanitarian workers".

• Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese commented the Australian citizen's death as "completely unacceptable", and that the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) had requested an explanation from the Israeli ambassador. DFAT stated that it was seeking from the Israeli government "a thorough and expeditious review".
• European Union Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell condemned the attack: "I condemn the attack and urge an investigation. Despite all the demands to protect civilians and humanitarian workers, we see new innocent casualties." He continued: “This shows that the [UN Security Council] resolution asking for an immediate ceasefire, full humanitarian access and a reinforced protection of civilians must be immediately implemented."
• Cyprus − The foreign ministry called for a "swift and conclusive" investigation and said that international and humanitarian law is "absolute," adding that "Humanitarian aid workers must always be respected and protected."
• United Kingdom − Foreign Minister David Cameron called on Israel to provide a transparent explanation for the attack. while Prime Minister Rishi Sunak says he’s "shocked and saddened" by the killing of at least one British volunteer during the attack.
• United States − National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson wrote on X that the US was “heartbroken and deeply troubled” by the attack. "Humanitarian aid workers must be protected as they deliver aid that is desperately needed, and we urge Israel to swiftly investigate what happened."
• Ireland − Irish foreign and defense minister Micheal Martin stated that he is "Appalled by the deaths of humanitarian workers in an Israeli strike, killed providing life-saving aid to the people of Gaza."
• Israel − The military said in a statement that it is "conducting a thorough review at the highest levels to understand the circumstances of this tragic incident." An Israeli military source told army radio that the attack was "the worst Israel has seen in the war." Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the attack as a tragic incident where Israeli forces unintentionally hit innocent people.
• Hamas condemned the drone strikes in a statement and urged the international community to take action: "This crime once again confirms that the occupation continues its policy of deliberate killing of innocent civilians, international relief teams, and humanitarian organizations, in its efforts to terrorize those working in them and prevent them from carrying out their humanitarian duties."

See also

• Gaza Strip famine
• Gaza humanitarian crisis (2023–present)
• Killing of health workers in the Israel–Hamas war
• Attacks on health facilities during the Israel–Hamas war