Gaza: World Central Kitchen (WCK) has announced the immediate suspension of its operations in Gaza. The decision follows the killing of seven WCK team members in Gaza during an Israeli Defense Force (IDF) attack.
According to reports, the World Central Kitchen crew was travelling in two armoured cars through a deconflict zone. The action of the convoy was associated with the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF). However, the convoy was hit as it was leaving the Deir al-Balah warehouse. The team just unloaded more than 100 tons of humanitarian food aid, which was brought to Gaza by sea.
Erin Gore, CEO of WCK, stated that, “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.”
The WCK aid workers who got killed in the IDF attack are from Australia, Poland, the United Kingdom, and Palestine, as well as dual American-Canadian citizens.
“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,” Erin added.
The Israeli Defense Forces conveyed that, “It is carrying out an in-depth examination at the highest levels to understand the circumstances of this tragic incident.”
World Central Kitchen, the non-governmental organisation was active in Gaza for several months. They noted that they delivered more than 33 million meals since the beginning of the conflict. The organisation performs more than 60 community kitchens in Gaza and works with approximately 400 Palestinians on the ground to provide these services.
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