Biden outraged by killing of World Central Kitchen worker in Gaza

WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden said Tuesday that he was “outraged and heartbroken” by the killing of seven World Central Kitchen humanitarian workers, adding that he is “outraged and heartbroken” by the killing of seven humanitarian workers at World Central Kitchen, the first time since the start of Israel’s war with Hamas. Some of the strongest criticisms of

“This conflict is one of the deadliest in recent memory in terms of aid worker death tolls,” Biden said in a statement. “This is the main reason it has become so difficult to distribute humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip. This is because sufficient measures have not been taken.

“An incident like yesterday should never happen. Israel is also not doing enough to protect civilians,” he added.

On Monday, an Israeli airstrike killed seven humanitarian workers from the relief organization World Central Kitchen, including a dual U.S. citizen. White House National Security Council Press Secretary John Kirby said Tuesday that more than 200 aid workers have been killed since the war began on Oct. 7.

Biden added that he would “continue to press Israel to do more to facilitate” humanitarian assistance to civilians in the Gaza Strip.

The president’s statement, his first comments on the aid workers killed on Monday, comes as he faces growing criticism from progressives, Arab Americans and Muslims over his response to the war. It was done. Some critics are urging Americans to “abandon Biden” at the polls or vote “irresponsibly” in the primaries to protest the administration’s actions.

Criticism of Mr. Biden’s handling of the war has been especially harsh in states like Michigan, a battleground state with a large Arab American population. It could be a key part of the path to the White House. Biden narrowly won Michigan in 2020, but Donald Trump won by a narrow margin in 2016.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a regular briefing that Biden called Jose Andrés, the celebrity chef who founded World Central Kitchen, “to express his heartbreak.” Ta.

World Central Kitchen has announced that it will temporarily suspend aid operations in Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday that the IDF “unintentionally attacked innocent people,” adding: “We will do everything in our power to ensure that something like this never happens again.”

More than 32,900 people have died in Gaza since the war began, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health. According to the Israeli government, approximately 1,200 people were killed in Israel on October 7th. About 240 Israelis have been kidnapped, and Israel says more than 100 hostages remain in the Gaza Strip.

Biden has previously criticized Israel’s handling of the war and said more steps need to be taken to provide humanitarian aid to Gaza.

Last week, when one of Mr. Biden’s speeches was interrupted by pro-Palestinian demonstrators, Mr. Biden said, “They have a point,” adding, “We need to pay more attention to the Gaza Strip.” added.

Mr. Biden also supports a public censure of Mr. Netanyahu. Biden praised Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s (D.N.Y.) remarks last month after he harshly criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and called for new elections in Israel.

“He gave a good speech. I think he expressed serious concerns that not only he shares but many Americans share,” he told reporters.

Separately, Biden said in an interview on MSNBC last month that he believes Netanyahu is “hurting Israel more than helping it.”