World Central Kitchen CEO Denounces Israeli Attacks
The founder of World Central Kitchen (WCK), José Andrés, conveyed his grief over the deaths of seven aid workers in an Israeli airstrike on Monday, urging world leaders to stop Israel’s “indiscriminate killing.”
The PM of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, had apologised for the bombings on April 2nd, stating the airstrike was a case of “mistaken identity.” International aid organisations have frequently accused the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) of carrying out precision munition strikes on civilian populations, including aid workers.
WCK had earlier released the identities of the seven deceased workers belonging to various nationalities: Jacob Flickinger (33, American-Canadian), James Henderson (33, British), James Kirby (47, British), John Chapman (57, British), Saifeddin Issam Ayad Abutaha (25, Palestinian), Lalzawmi Frankcom (43, Australian), and Damian Sobol (35, Polish) were killed by Israeli airstrikes while travelling through the demilitarised zone near Deir-al-Balah, Central Gaza.
“These are the heroes of WCK. These 7 beautiful souls were killed by the IDF in a strike as they were returning from a full day’s mission. Their smiles, laughter, and voices are forever embedded in our memories.” – Erin Gore, CEO. Read more: https://t.co/4f38RQ1l4I pic.twitter.com/neAsSzKVP5
— World Central Kitchen (@WCKitchen) April 2, 2024
The organisation also said that the team was in contact with the IDF and had notified the army about their movement, but still they were attacked. Despite Israel’s opening of the border crossing and port for the entry of aid shipments into Central Gaza, the humanitarian crisis has worsened.
Frequent attacks by the IDF on non-military targets have sparked outrage and global condemnation from organisations and world governments alike.
World Central Kitchen’s CEO, Erin Gore, accused Israel of utilising food as a weapon of war, saying, “This is an attack on humanitarian organisations showing up in the direst of situations. I am heartbroken and appalled that we—World Central Kitchen and the world—lost beautiful lives today because of a targeted attack by the IDF. The love they had for feeding people, the determination they embodied to show that humanity rises above all, and the impact they made in countless lives will forever be remembered and cherished.”.
WCK Founder breaks down over worker deaths
During a memorial service held on Thursday at Washington National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., the organisation’s founder and celebrity chef José Andrés delivered an emotional eulogy mourning the deaths of the seven workers, his voice trembling throughout the speech.
He said, “The seven souls we mourn today were there so that hungry people could eat, they risked everything to feed people they did not know. They were the best of humanity; their examples should inspire us to do better and to be better.”
He criticised Israel for its crimes against humanity and urged world leaders to intervene in the Gaza War. He also called for an independent investigation into the IDF strike and stated, “The official explanation is not good enough.”
Previously, CNN anchor Chris Wallace had also said, “The idea of Hamas hiding in civilian populations has already been proven, but experts agree that given Israel’s extensive surveillance technology, there must be other suitable ways for it to carry on its anti-terrorism offensive.”
Earlier, Jose had said during an interview with Reuter, “Israel has been attacking aid organisations systematically, car by car.” He had stated that the team was travelling in two armoured cars brandishing the WCK logo and had notified the IDF of their movement, but they were still hit by Israeli airstrikes while leaving from Deir-al-Balah, Central Gaza.
The vehicles were in close proximity to the organisation’s warehouse, where the team had previously unloaded over 100 tonnes of humanitarian aid that arrived in the country through the Ashdod port.
World Central Kitchen’s founder Mr. José Andrés started the organisation as a part of disaster response following the 2010 earthquake in Haiti. Mr. Andres, a two-Michelin-starred chef himself, has held the helm of the aid agency on a grass-roots level with his wife Patricia Andres since the early days of the organisation.
Iran’s attack on Israel sparks greater conflict risk in the Middle East
Last week, on April 13, Iran launched a simultaneous drone and missile attack on Israel, attacking key structures through unconfirmed trajectories. The response was triggered by Israel’s bombing of the Iranian embassy in Damascus, Syria.
According to the NYTimes, the target was Mohammad Reza Zahedi, the commander for Syria and Lebanon of Iran’s elite Quds Force, a branch of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps.
He was also responsible for training the terror outfit Hezbollah, which has been carrying out drone attacks on maritime trade ships passing through the Red Sea region over the past few months as a response to Israel’s Gaza offensive.
BREAKING: ISRAEL NOW SAY THEY REPELLED ONLY 84% OF IRAN’S MISSILE ATTACKS AND NOT 99%
Insights from air defense analysts reveal a lower rate of attack interception than initially claimed by IDF officials, with an estimated repulsion rate of around 84% according to Israeli… pic.twitter.com/rFpTZbTqIN
— Sulaiman Ahmed (@ShaykhSulaiman) April 18, 2024
The IDF reported that 90% of the projectiles were destroyed by the Israeli air defence system, but many video clips emerged shortly portraying explosions in the cityscape of Israel. No casualties have been reported so far.
Despite mounting international pressure, Israel’s PM Benjamin Netanyahu has shown no signs of relenting and stated that the offensive at Rafah will still be carried out at an undisclosed date and time. Given the already worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, geopolitical analysts estimate millions more will be killed and displaced if Israel carries on with its anti-terror operation.
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