Cyprus: Ship with emergency aid on its way to Gaza turns back after attack on aid workers

On Tuesday morning, World Central Kitchen (WCK) confirmed that seven of its employees, including the Palestinian driver, were killed in an Israeli attack on Deir al-Balah while they were in the process of delivering 100 tons of emergency aid to starving Palestinians.

Pictures on Tuesday morning show the bodies of aid workers at al-Aqsa hospital in Deir al-Balah, several of them dressed in protective gear with the WCK logo. The bodies were later transferred to Rafah.

WCK states that it is suspending all work in Gaza until further notice as a result of the attack, and an official in Cyprus says that the ships that had arrived in Gaza are turning around and returning to Cyprus without unloading the 240 tons of food aid that were still on board table. .

Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos says they are stopping the operation out of respect for the dead, and also to review security procedures.

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– Unforgivable

– Despite the fact that it was coordinated with the Israeli military, the column was hit when it drove out of the warehouse in Deir al-Balah, says WCK and states that their people were in two armored vehicles with WCK’s logo and a passenger car, in an allegedly conflict-free area.

The WCK employees killed are three Britons, one Australian, one from Poland and one with dual US and Canadian citizenship. In addition, the Palestinian driver.

– This is not just an attack on WCK, but an attack on humanitarian organizations that work under the worst conditions, where food is used as a weapon. It is unforgivable, says Erin Gore, who is director of WCK.

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WCK built its own breakwater on the Gaza Strip to bring in emergency aid by sea. The first shipment entered the area on March 15, while the second arrived on Monday with 400 tonnes of food and equipment on three ships. Both deliveries were coordinated with the Israeli military.

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IDF: To be investigated

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regrets that the aid workers were killed, but claims that the attack was unintentional.

– This is what happens in war. We will investigate thoroughly and are in contact with the governments of the dead and will do everything we can to ensure that it does not happen again, he says.

The Israeli military (IDF) states that the incident will be investigated at the highest level and refers to it as “this tragic incident”. Israel expresses grief over the deaths, but without claiming responsibility.

– The IDF is making extensive efforts to ensure the safe delivery of humanitarian aid and has worked closely with the WCK in their vital efforts to provide food and humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza, says a message on X, formerly Twitter.

The US has highlighted the sea route from Cyprus as a new way to get emergency aid to a desperate population which, according to the UN, is on the brink of famine because necessary supplies are blocked by Israel at the borders.

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Israel refuses the UN aid organization for the Palestinians UNRWA to deliver supplies to northern Gaza, where the situation is most desperate, and other aid organizations say it is too dangerous to send truck convoys there because Israel will not guarantee security.

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– Stop indiscriminate killings

On https://twitter.com/chefjoseandres/status/1774947232539644286 writes WCK founder José Andrés that the organization has lost several of its employees in an airstrike carried out by the IDF.

– I am devastated and grieve with their families and friends and our entire WCK family. These are people – angels – with whom I have served in Ukraine, Gaza, Turkey, Morocco, the Bahamas and Indonesia, says Andrés.

– They are not faceless. They are not nameless. The Israeli government must stop these indiscriminate killings. It must stop obstructing humanitarian aid, stop killing civilians and aid workers and stop using food as a weapon, Andrés continues.

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Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed on Tuesday that one of those killed is 44-year-old Lalzawmi “Zomi” Frankcom. He demands that the guilty be held accountable.

Strong reactions

Poland is also demanding an explanation from Israel after a Polish aid worker from the town of Przemysl was killed, and British Foreign Minister David Cameron calls the attack deeply outrageous. He too demands an investigation and explanation from Israel.

A spokeswoman for the US National Security Council, Adrienne Watson, says the US is shocked and concerned by the attack.

– Humanitarian aid workers must be protected when they deliver help that is so desperately needed, and we urge Israel to quickly investigate what has happened, she writes further.

The EU’s foreign affairs chief, Josep Borrell, also condemns the attack and demands an investigation.

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– Despite all the demands to protect civilians and aid workers, we see that more and more innocent people are being affected, he said.

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Started with Haiti

WCK was founded in 2010 when Andrés, a Spanish-American chef and restaurant owner, sent cooks and food to earthquake-stricken Haiti. Since the start of the invasion of the Gaza Strip, WCK has delivered over 42 million meals.

WCK is not the only aid organization that has lost employees in the war on the Gaza Strip. According to UNRWA, 174 of their employees have been killed since the outbreak of war on 7 October last year.

At least 32,916 Palestinians, most of them women and children, have been killed since the war in Gaza began when Hamas attacked Israel and killed nearly 1,200 Israelis. 250 others were taken hostage, and around 100 are still held captive by Hamas.

The aid organizations have repeatedly demanded a ceasefire, and the US, Qatar and Egypt have been negotiating for months for a ceasefire and the release of the hostages, without success so far.