The workers were in the process of delivering desperately needed food aid that had arrived by sea from Cyprus, ITV News’ Charlie Frost reports
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has confirmed his military’s “unintended” airstrike has killed British nationals in Gaza, along with other aid workers.
UK officials have demanded an immediate investigation, which Netanyahu also promised, after the strike that killed seven.
At least three Britons are believed to have died, according to hospital reports, along with other foreign aid workers from Australia, Poland, and a US-Canada dual citizen.
The World Central Kitchen (WCK), the charity employing the victims at the time of their death, confirmed the news on Tuesday morning.
Mr Netanyahu later acknowledged the country’s forces had carried out the “unintended strike” on “innocent people in the Gaza Strip.”
He said a thorough investigation will take place, as well as discussions with foreign governments, so that “everything will be done that something like this will not happen again.”
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak says he is “shocked and saddened” by the deaths, saying “clearly there are questions that need to be answered”.
The deaths of three British aid workers in an Israeli air strike are “outrageous and unacceptable”, Sir Keir Starmer said as he called for international law to be upheld.
Sir Keir said: : “Reports of the death of British nationals – among others from World Central Kitchen – in an Israeli strike on Gaza are horrifying. Our thoughts are with the families of all of those killed.
“We condemn this strike. There must be a full investigation and those responsible must be held to account.
“This war must stop now. Far too many innocent people have died in this conflict and more than a million are facing starvation. Labour repeats our call for an immediate ceasefire, the immediate release of all hostages and full humanitarian access into Gaza.”
Foreign Secretary David Cameron said he had spoken to his Israeli counterpart, Israel Katz, to stress the need for “major changes” to ensure the safety of aid workers in Gaza.
The latest of two batches of aid confirmed as having left Cyprus on ships in the last couple of weeks will now return without having delivered the 240 tonnes of supplies as initially intended.
WCK has now paused all operations in the region, while the UN World Food Programme paused its aid deliveries in February until conditions would “allow for safe distributions”.
The Australian aid worker has been named as 44-year-old Zomi Frankcom, from Melbourne, by Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), while the Polish worker was identified by his hometown mayor as Damian Soból, from Przemyśl.
Zomi’s family told ITV News’ Australian partner 7News she had been growing increasingly anxious about crossing through Israeli checkpoints. Hours before her death she had sent a photo to her brother of her and fellow aid workers smiling, with the comment “we made it”.
Karuna Bajracharya (left) and Karuna Gurung (right) said they couldn’t believe it when they saw the photos of their “dear friend” Zomi
They want Zomi to be remembered as an “outstanding person with a beautiful spirit”.
Poland’s foreign ministry said it would not confirm any personal details about the victim until the Polish consul was able to carry out a formal identification, but Przemyśl authorities lowered national flags to half-mast on all administration buildings in the southeastern city.
Mayor Wojciech Bakun wrote on X that there were no words to describe the loss of this “fantastic young man.”
“These brave people are changing the world for the better with their service and sacrifice for the others,” Poland’s President Andrzej Duda said on X.
WCK said the workers were in the process of delivering desperately needed food aid that had arrived by sea from Cyprus on Monday when they were struck late that same evening.
A WHO spokesperson said both sides would have known aid workers were travelling through the area.
“This was an agreed mission, with this team, it was deconflicted. Deconflicted means both sides know they’re coming, both sides have agreed. The car was well marked, it was very clear it was World Central Kitchen,” Margaret Harris said.
Israeli military officials described the deaths of the aid workers as “tragic” after the “unintended” air strike.
“We will be opening a probe to examine this serious incident further. This will help us reduce the risk of such an event from occurring again,” IDF Spokesperson, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said in a video address.
He added the military has been “reviewing the incident at the highest levels” to understand exactly what happened and that they “will share [their] findings transparently.”
The team had unloaded more than 100 tonnes of humanitarian food aid brought to Gaza on the route from Cyprus, when the convoy was hit as it was leaving the Deir al-Balah warehouse, WCK said in a statement released on Tuesday.
WCK’s founder, celebrity chef Jose Andres, said in a post on X: “Today @WCKitchen lost several of our sisters and brothers in an IDF airstrike in Gaza.
Speaking after the airstrike, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said there have been “too many civilian deaths in Gaza”
“I am heartbroken and grieving for their families and friends and our whole WCK family. These are people… angels… I served alongside in Ukraine, Gaza, Turkey, Morocco, Bahamas, Indonesia. They are not faceless… they are not nameless.”
WCK’s founder, celebrity chef Jose Andres, said in a post on X: “Today @WCKitchen lost several of our sisters and brothers in an IDF airstrike in Gaza.
“I am heartbroken and grieving for their families and friends and our whole WCK family. These are people… angels… I served alongside in Ukraine, Gaza, Turkey, Morocco, Bahamas, Indonesia. They are not faceless… they are not nameless.”
Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) said the killed employees “were targeted by Israeli occupation forces” in a post on X on Tuesday. It added two of the bodies were initially missing, but were later located and retrieved by the PRCS team.
Footage posted on social media by the Hamas-affiliated Quds News Network shows a destroyed vehicle marked with World Central Kitchen signage
All seven bodies were then transported to the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah and on to Abu Yousef al-Najjar Hospital in preparation for their evacuation through the Rafah border crossing, the PRCS said.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said his government has requested an explanation from Israel of how the incident occurred.
Mr Albanese said Israel’s ambassador to Australia Amir Maimon was asked to call Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and explain how Zomi Frankcom came to be killed.
Airstrikes and a ground offensive by Israel have killed more than 32,000 Palestinians, according to local health authorities, while around 75,000 people are thought to be injured.
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