TEL AVIV: In the wake of scathing criticism, Israel admitted to mistakenly conducting an airstrike that resulted in the deaths of seven personnel from WCK, a US-based charity group while they were unloading food aid in the conflict-ridden Gaza Strip.
The charity, World Central Kitchen, announced a temporary halt to its operations following what it described as a “targeted Israeli strike”, claiming the lives of three British and four other staffers — comprising an Australian, a Palestinian, a Pole, and a US-Canadian.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged the incident as “tragic” and “unintentional,” pledging to take all necessary measures to prevent such occurrences in the future.
The Israeli military assured a thorough investigation into the matter, promising to conduct it at the highest levels.
According to a report from Haaretz on Tuesday afternoon, the Israeli Air Force (IAF) had launched three missiles in rapid succession, targeting three vehicles.
IDF Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari conveyed his condolences to Chef Jose Anders, the founder of WCK, expressing the deepest sympathies of the Israel Defense Forces to the families and the wider World Central Kitchen community.
Hagari further extended sincere apologies to allied nations involved in humanitarian efforts, affirming that the IDF is rigorously examining the incident to comprehensively understand the circumstances surrounding it.
“We are committed to uncovering the truth and will ensure full transparency in sharing our findings,” Hagari concluded.
