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Seven help employees from World Central Kitchen have been killed when their convoy was fired upon on the evening of Monday and Tuesday, in line with help organizations and Palestinian well being officers in Gaza.
The catastrophe aid group based by Spanish chef José Andrés stated members of its employees have been killed within the Israeli assault, with the Israeli navy saying the incident was being investigated, with out claiming accountability for the assault. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged on Tuesday “the tragic case of our navy inadvertently killing harmless folks”.
Right here's what we all know.
The convoy of three automobiles had simply left a meals warehouse.
The World Central Kitchen employees have been leaving a warehouse in Deir al-Balah, a metropolis within the central Gaza Strip, when their convoy, two armored vehicles and a 3rd automobile, got here underneath fireplace, the group stated in an announcement. The precise time of the episode has not been decided, however it was both late Monday evening or simply after midnight on Tuesday.
The charity stated the Israeli navy had been knowledgeable concerning the actions of the help employees. In response to the group, help employees had unloaded greater than 100 tons of meals delivered to Gaza by sea on the warehouse.
Video footage filmed by a Palestinian journalist and verified by The New York Occasions reveals not less than two destroyed white automobiles on the scene. One of many vehicles was left with a big gap within the roof, clearly marked with the World Central Kitchen brand. Papers with the WCK brand can be seen contained in the burnt inside of the second automotive.
It remained unclear Tuesday morning what kind of ammunition had fallen on the vehicles and whether or not the explosives have been launched from the bottom, from a warplane or from a drone.
Six international nationals and one Palestinian have been killed.
The victims of the assault included one Palestinian and 6 international nationals, together with folks from Australia, Poland, Britain, the US and Canada.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese recognized one of many victims as Zomi Frankcom, an Australian citizen and a senior supervisor at World Central Kitchen.
In response to the Palestine Crimson Crescent Society, Palestinian medics recovered the our bodies of seven victims and transported them to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah. They have been later moved south and would ultimately be flown out of the enclave to Egypt, the Crimson Crescent stated in an announcement.
The Prime Minister acknowledged that Israeli forces within the Gaza Strip have been 'unintentionally harming harmless folks.'
On Tuesday, the Israeli navy's chief spokesman, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, stated the circumstances behind the assault have been nonetheless being investigated “on the highest stage.” He stated the investigation has been handed over to the Reality Discovering and Evaluation Mechanism, a navy physique tasked with investigating the allegations to research the circumstances behind battlefield incidents.
“We’ll launch an investigation to additional examine this critical incident,” he stated. “This may assist us scale back the chance of an incident like this taking place once more.”
The Israeli navy stated the mechanism was an “impartial, skilled and professional physique”. Human rights teams have usually been important of the Israeli navy's capability to conduct investigations transparently, alleging that investigations are sometimes prolonged and infrequently result in indictments.
In a video assertion on Tuesday, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu referred to “the tragic case of our forces unintentionally harming harmless folks within the Gaza Strip.” Mr Netanyahu didn’t particularly identify World Central Kitchen in his remarks. However an Israeli official accustomed to the matter, who spoke on situation of anonymity as a result of sensitivity of the problem, clarified that the prime minister was referring to the assault.
“This occurs in warfare, we’re investigating it completely, we’re in touch with governments and we are going to do the whole lot in order that such an incident doesn’t occur once more,” Mr Netanyahu stated.
Admiral Hagari stated he had spoken to Mr Andres to supply his condolences on behalf of the Israeli navy, however declined to formally declare accountability for the assault that killed the help employees.
Vivian Yee And nader ibrahim Contributed reporting to this text.