UK volunteers among those killed in Gaza

Seven workers have been killed while providing humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza.

On the night of Monday, April 1, a devastating incident unfolded involving the Israel Defence Forces and a team from the World Central Kitchen (WCK), endorsed by the renowned Spanish chef Jose Andres, resulting in the death of seven humanitarian workers.

A fatal strike on humanitarian mission

The tragic event occurred in the Deir al-Balah governorate, central Gaza Strip, amidst an Israeli offensive targeting Hamas.

Among the deceased were nationals from Australia, Poland, the United Kingdom, a dual citizen of the USA and Canada, and Palestine. It is believed that three of those killed are UK nationals.

This catastrophic loss has been declared a ‘tragedy’ by the NGO, emphasising that humanitarian workers ‘should never be a target.’

Details of the attack

The WCK team was navigating through a non-conflict zone in two armoured vehicles bearing the NGO’s insignia, alongside a non-armoured vehicle.

According to WCK’s statements, despite having coordinated their movement with the IDF, their convoy was struck post-departure from a warehouse in Deir al-Balah. This warehouse had been a key location for unloading over 100 tons of food aid, transported via sea to aid the Gaza population.

Global response and future concerns

The attack has sparked widespread condemnation and sorrow, including from Chef Jose Andres, who mourned the loss on Twitter/X: ‘Today @WCKitchen lost several of our sisters and brothers in an IDF air strike in Gaza.

‘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. The Israeli government needs to stop this indiscriminate killing. It needs to stop restricting humanitarian aid, stop killing civilians and aid workers, and stop using food as a weapon. No more innocent lives lost. Peace starts with our shared humanity. It needs to start now.’

‘It is a tragedy. Humanitarian aid workers and Civilians should NEVER be a target. NEVER,’ declared WCK on its X social network account. This incident raises serious questions about the safety of humanitarian operations in conflict zones and the implications for future aid deliveries.

This loss occurs against the backdrop of a concerted effort by WCK and the NGO Open Arms to establish a maritime humanitarian corridor from Cyprus to Gaza.

The WCK organisation recently announced on March 30, that they had spent 175 in Gaza, during which they had served more than 42 million meals.

This initiative aimed to circumvent the significant challenges that land-based aid efforts have faced, highlighting the dire need for assistance in the region.