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In response to this incident, WCK announced that it would cease operations in Gaza. Many other humanitarian organizations have followed suit. According to reports, Israeli forces repeatedly targeted the vehicles carrying the convoy, which were clearly marked as belonging to charity organizations. The attack marked the first time that a foreign national working in relief operations has been killed during the ongoing war in Gaza.
“This is not just an attack on WCK, but an attack on humanitarian organizations in the most dire situations where food is being used as a weapon of war,” WCK CEO Erin Gore said in a statement. “This is unacceptable.”
Other prominent humanitarians cited the already staggering death toll among aid workers during the conflict, which began with the October 7 terrorist attack in southern Israel by the militant group Hamas. he pointed out. UN Humanitarian Coordinator James McGoldrick noted that at least 196 humanitarian workers, the majority of them Palestinians, have been killed in the occupied West Bank and Gaza since October. “This is not an isolated incident,” he said. “This is almost three times the number of deaths recorded in a single conflict in a single year.”
“You don’t have an accident where you repeatedly collide a convoy of cars that have already broken up, and you have three vehicles in a row on a kilometer of road,” said the president of the human rights group Refugees International and a former Obama administration official. said Jeremy Konyndyke, a senior official. I have written on social media. “It does so by promoting a military culture that treats Gaza as a free-fire zone with complete impunity for serious attacks on civilians.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed remorse following the attack. He called it “unintentional” and said Israeli authorities were “thoroughly investigating this matter” and “will do everything in our power to prevent this from happening again.”
Nevertheless, Ciaran Donnelly, senior vice-president of the International Rescue Committee, said the strikes were “demoralizing for aid workers to deploy to Gaza”, especially in war-torn areas. “It would have an impact,” he told colleagues. More than half of the population is on the brink of starvation, creating an unprecedented humanitarian crisis.
“This sends a signal that no part of Gaza is safe for anyone,” he said, adding that “the very activities and facilities that should be protected under international humanitarian law are under fire.” Ta.
Founded in 2010 by renowned Spanish-American chef José Andrés, WCK has grown to become one of the most widespread and responsive aid organizations in areas affected by natural disasters and conflict. . Unlike other humanitarian organizations working in Gaza, particularly UNRWA, the United Nations agency responsible for Palestinians, it has not had a difficult relationship with the Israeli government.
Mr. Andres was harshly critical. “The Israeli government needs to stop this indiscriminate killing,” he said. said on social media. “We need to stop restricting humanitarian aid, stop killing civilians and aid workers, and stop using food as a weapon.”
Israel’s Western allies also voiced their outrage.. French Foreign Minister Stephane Séjournet, who appeared in Paris with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, said: “The protection of humanitarian workers is a moral and legal obligation that everyone must abide by,” adding: “There is no justification for a tragedy like this. There’s nothing we can do,” he added.
“These people are heroes. They don’t run away from the fire, they run into the fire,” Blinken said of aid workers. “There should never be a situation where people who are simply trying to help a fellow human being are putting themselves at grave risk.”
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called for “full accountability” for the death of long-time WCK aid worker Lalzaumi Francome. He praised the values she represents and her character as a courageous humanitarian. “The truth is this is beyond any reasonable circumstances. [that] “Someone providing aid and humanitarian assistance should lose their life,” he said.
Regional powers that Israel wants to sue have similarly reprimanded the Jewish state. A statement from the Saudi Foreign Ministry called the incident a “systematic continuation of the Israeli occupation’s crimes and violations of international humanitarian law.” The Emirates said this was a “serious violation of all international treaties”.
The incident will further increase pressure on Prime Minister Netanyahu. At home, he faces growing protests over his unusual approach to war and his failure to secure the release of dozens of Israeli hostages held by Hamas. And abroad, he faces widespread anger over Israel’s punitive operation that has killed more than 32,000 Palestinians and forced most of Gaza’s residents from their homes.
Israeli analyst Yossi Melman said: “The fact is that the world is running out of patience with Israel’s war in Gaza. This is a new incident that is adding to global discontent.” ” he said. Said on new channel i24 news.
In Paris, Blinken called on Israel to quickly investigate the attack, but unlike his French counterpart, he stopped short of outright condemnation. He also justified billions of dollars worth of arms transfers to Israel, despite growing concerns that their use in war would violate U.S. law.
“This is the system that is in place now, has been in place for a long time, and will continue to be in place,” Blinken told reporters.
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