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Copyright © 2024 CGTN. 京ICP备20000184号
Disinformation report hotline: 010-85061466
A view of the damaged vehicle carrying Western staff after Israeli attack in Deir al-Balah, Gaza, April 2, 2024. /CFP
Seven aid workers, including six foreign nationals, were killed in the Israeli bombing of a vehicle from World Central Kitchen (WCK) in Gaza, the organization confirmed in a statement on Tuesday.
The WCK team was traveling in two armored cars branded with the WCK logo and a soft skin vehicle. The seven killed are from Australia, Poland, the United Kingdom, a dual citizen of the U.S. and Canada, and Palestine, the statement added.
The WCK is pausing its operations immediately in the region, it said.
Despite coordinating its movements with the Israeli Defence Force (IDF), the convoy was hit after unloading more than 100 tons of humanitarian food aid brought by sea to Gaza, Reuters reports.
"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," said Erin Gore, chief executive of World Central Kitchen.
According to the Israeli military, the incident is currently being investigated at the highest levels to understand the circumstances of what it called a tragic incident.
Hamas released a statement saying that the attack was intended to terrorize workers of international humanitarian agencies, deterring them from their missions.
People gather around the car of the U.S.-based aid group World Central Kitchen that was hit by an Israeli strike the previous day in Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, April 2, 2024. /CFP
Australia demands accountability
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has demanded full accountability over the death of the Australian citizen in the attack.
Speaking at a press conference, Albanese said Frankcom's death was completely unacceptable and said the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has requested a meeting with the Israeli ambassador, describing the incident as beyond any reasonable circumstances.
"This is just completely unacceptable, Australia expects full accountability for the deaths of aid workers," he said.
"This is a tragedy that should never have occurred." Albanese on Tuesday offered his sincere condolences to Frankcom's family, friends and fellow aid workers.
(With input from agencies)