Nations call for accountability and investigation after drone strikes target World Central Kitchen staff

People inspect destroyed World Central Kitchen vehicles after seven aid workers were killed by Israeli missiles in Deir al-Balah in Gaza on April 2, 2024. (PHOTO / AP)

Israel’s statement on the “unintentional” and “misidentified” killings of World Central Kitchen (WCK) aid workers in Gaza on April 1 has failed to gain traction amid calls for accountability from its Western allies and allegations it has deliberately targeted humanitarian groups to starve Gaza.

Several countries, including staunch ally the United States, have demanded Israel be held accountable and conduct a thorough, impartial investigation into what went wrong, with some accusing Israel of intentionally targeting or indiscriminately attacking the workers. 

WCK said in a statement on April 2 that seven of its members — from Australia, Poland, the United Kingdom, a dual citizen of the US and Canada, and Palestine — “have been killed in a strike by Israeli Defense Forces in Gaza”. 

The nonprofit organization said that despite coordinating movements with the IDF, the convoy was hit “as it was leaving the Deir al-Balah warehouse” where the team had unloaded more than 100 tons of humanitarian food aid via the maritime route pre-agreed with the Israeli military. 

The WCK convoy, with clear markings on its vehicles and following routes in a non-conflict zone, was hit three times in sequence by drone-piloted missiles. The last vehicle was hit while carrying the dead and wounded from the first two strikes, Al Jazeera English reported.

WCK CEO Erin Gore said she was “heartbroken and appalled” that their group “lost beautiful lives … because of a targeted attack by the Israeli Defense Forces”.

“This is not only an attack against WCK, this is an attack on humanitarian organizations showing up in the most dire situations where food is being used as a weapon of war,” she said adding it adding it was “unforgivable”.

The latest tragedy has prompted WCK and other humanitarian organizations to rethink their work in Gaza — a blow to conflict-stricken, deprived civilians and aid workers already working with depleted sources and racing against time to curb the looming threat of famine.

Francesca Albanese, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in the West Bank and Gaza, accused Israeli forces of “intentionally killing” the WCK workers so that donors “would pull out and civilians in Gaza could continue to be starved quietly”. 

Writing on X, formerly Twitter, Albanese accused Western countries of not “moving a finger for the Palestinians”.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the Israeli attack on aid workers was “unconscionable.” Dennis Francis, president of the UN General Assembly said he is “outraged by the tragic killings.” At least 196 humanitarian workers have now been killed in Gaza since October, according to the UN.

US President Joe Biden, in a statement, said he was “outraged and heartbroken” by the deaths of the seven humanitarian workers from WCK. He demanded Israel’s investigations to be swift and bring accountability, while the findings “must be made public”. 

Biden also noted that it was “not a standalone incident” and that the ongoing conflict “has been one of the worst in recent memory” in terms of how many aid workers have been killed.

High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell said on his X account that he was appalled by the killings. 

In a joint statement with EU Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarcic, Borrell demanded assurance of accountability for those responsible and reminded Israel of its obligation under International Humanitarian Law to “protect humanitarian workers at all times”. 

They also demanded the implementation of the UN Security Council resolution on adopting an immediate and sustainable cease-fire.

One of the aid workers killed, Australian Lalzawmi “Zomi” Frankcom, was described by friends and family as “selfless”.

Melbourne-born Frankcom was killed on April 1 along with five other international aid workers and their Palestinian driver.

“We are deeply mourning the news that our brave and beloved Zomi has been killed doing the work she loves delivering food to the people of Gaza. She was a kind, selfless, and outstanding human being that has traveled the world helping others in their time of need,” Frankcom’s family said in a statement on April 2.

In a telephone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on April 3, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese expressed outrage over the attack on innocent aid workers. 

The Australian government had summoned the Israeli Ambassador to Australia Amir Maimon to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) for an explanation but was told “he is sick”.

On April 2, DFAT said in a statement that Australia has been “very clear that we expect humanitarian workers in Gaza to have safe and unimpeded access to do their lifesaving work”.

People inspect destroyed World Central Kitchen vehicles after seven aid workers were killed by Israeli missiles in Deir al-Balah in Gaza on April 2, 2024. (PHOTO / AP)

Australia’s Foreign Minister, Penny Wong, speaking on ABC radio the same day said: “Wartime does not obviate responsibility for observing international law including aid workers.”

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called the strike “shocking” on his X account and demanded Israel explain how “this tragic incident happened” and take immediate steps to protect workers and facilitate vital humanitarian operations in Gaza. 

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Qatar, in a statement, stressed the “complete rejection of weaponizing food against civilians in the war on Gaza” and demanded ensuring accountability and non-impunity “for all crimes committed as a result of the horrific war”.

The United Arab Emirates, which normalized ties with Israel through the Washington-brokered Abraham Accords in 2020, also made its indignation felt.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, in a statement, sent cables of condolences to Australia, Poland, the UK, the US, Canada, and the Embassy of the State of Palestine in Abu Dhabi, as well as WCK Founder Jose Andres.

He stressed the UAE’s call on Israeli authorities to “conduct an urgent, independent and transparent investigation, and accept full responsibility”, and to strengthen the humanitarian response and intensify efforts aimed at “halting escalation in the occupied Palestinian territory and in the region”.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had admitted on his website that there had been “a tragic event in which our forces unintentionally harmed non-combatants in the Gaza Strip”. 

“This happens in war. We are conducting a thorough inquiry and are in contact with the governments. We will do everything to prevent a recurrence,” said Netanyahu.

On April 3, IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant-General Herzi Halevi said in a video statement that he had been presented with preliminary findings from an inquiry into the incident.

“The strike was not carried out with the intention of harming WCK aid workers,” he said. “It was a mistake that followed a misidentification — at night, during a war, in very complex conditions. It shouldn’t have happened.”

But US officials, speaking anonymously to Washington-based news outlet Politico, expressed skepticism at Israeli claims that the aid worker killings were “unintentional” and whether those responsible would be held to account, Al Jazeera reported.

Noting that three missiles were used in the convoy attack, another US official said it appeared intentional. “Three hits on three cars in a row is not an accident. We aren’t stupid,” Al Jazeera quoted them as saying.

Muslim Imran, director at the Malaysia-based Asia Middle East Center for Research and Dialogue think tank, said Israel “has made it very clear in the beginning of the ongoing onslaught” that they did not want anybody to stay in the northern regions of Gaza. 

It “put a policy of ethnic cleansing in place” and it has been targeting “almost everyone or anything moving” in northern Gaza. He said aid workers — whether local or international — are seen as “the problem” by Israel for “obstructing Israel’s policy of ethnic cleansing”.

Imran said Israel has “not encouraged international aid workers to come in” and when they “found a chance”, they “targeted them and killed them”, thinking that this would scare off international efforts from coming to Gaza.

“I don’t buy Israel’s propaganda and claims that it was an unintentional targeting because they targeted three different cars (and the IDF) have been coordinating with this particular international NGO and the Israel army knows exactly where the coordinate of these aid workers are,” Imran told China Daily. 

“By claiming that (the strikes are) unintentional and claiming that they will conduct an investigation, it’s very funny when the criminal perpetrator conducts investigations on themselves,” he added.

Marc Purcell, CEO of the Australian Council for International Development — the country’s top body for NGOs involved in international aid and humanitarian action — made a statement on April 2. 

“The laws of war protecting humanitarian workers and civilians are being flagrantly disregarded by the Israeli government and defense forces,” he said.

“Time and time again during this conflict we have seen Israeli forces demonstrate disregard for the safety of humanitarian workers with tragic results, with at least 196 aid workers killed to date,” Purcell added.

“Not only are Israeli military forces acting recklessly, they have, in fact, been using the denial of food as a weapon of war.”

Egyptian state media reported that the bodies of those killed in the strikes were transported out of Gaza after leaving Abu Youssef Al-Najjar Hospital in the southern border city of Rafah on April 3. 

The bodies will be met by representatives from their home countries and then repatriated for burial, the report added.

Meanwhile, Israel continues to block the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) from bringing food and other aid into northern Gaza, the aid agency said.

Three more UNRWA members have been killed in Gaza, it said, bringing the total number of the agency’s staff killed to 176 since the conflict began on Oct 7 last year.

At least 32,975 Palestinians have been killed and 75,577 wounded in the Israeli attacks on Gaza. The death toll in Israel from Hamas’s Oct 7 attack on Israel stands at 1,139 with dozens still held captive.

Mike Gu in Hong Kong contributed to this story. 

Contact the writers at jan@chinadailyapac.com