7 aid workers killed in Gaza air strike
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged that Israel mistakenly killed seven individuals working for the aid charity World Central Kitchen in a Gaza airstrike. The U.S. and other allies have called for explanations in response to the incident, which has sparked widespread condemnation.
Israel’s military expressed “sincere sorrow” over the tragic event, amplifying international pressure for measures to alleviate the dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza. This incident occurs nearly six months into Israel’s blockade and invasion of the Palestinian enclave, further emphasizing the urgent need for action to address the escalating situation.
“Unfortunately in the past day there was a tragic event in which our forces unintentionally harmed non-combatants in the Gaza Strip,” Netanyahu said in a video statement.
The UN estimates that around 200 humanitarian aid workers have been killed in Gaza since October. Hamas has previously accused Israel of deliberately targeting aid distribution sites and services.
Among those killed include citizens of Australia, Poland, and 3 Britons.
Following an investigation, the Israeli military claimed that officers overlooked a message detailing the vehicles in the convoy. A spotter then saw someone boarding one car, carrying something – possibly a bag – that he thought was a weapon.
Rights groups and aid workers say Monday night’s mistake was hardly an anomaly. They say the wider problem is not violations of the military’s rules of engagement but the rules themselves.
Israel asserts that it targets Hamas fighters and infrastructure while making efforts to minimize civilian casualties. It attributes the high number of civilian deaths to militants operating within the civilian population. Israel maintains that each strike undergoes assessment by legal experts; however, it has not disclosed its rules of engagement publicly.
Human rights groups and pro-Palestine protestors have expressed frustration that some media outlets have only just begun to express critical concern about Israel’s “inhumane” tactics in the war now that aid workers, and Western passport holders in particular, have been killed.
Israel will pay compensation to dead aid workers’ families, say sources
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