President Joe Biden was offended by the Israeli strike on t

Seven staff members of the humanitarian organization World Central Kitchen (WCK), including Western nationals participating in food relief efforts and a Palestinian were killed due to attack. (Picture Courtesy: Ali Jadallah/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Mavhungunekuvule Mungomeni

President Joe Biden of the United States has taken a stern stance against Israel’s actions, prohibiting them from targeting seven humanitarian aid workers in Gaza. The tragic incident occurred during an Israeli strike, resulting in the loss of seven lives associated with the food aid charity World Central Kitchen. This event unfolded on Monday, April 1st, sparking widespread outrage and condemnation.

According to a report by Ido Vock, President Biden expressed his profound dismay and sorrow, firmly accusing Israel of failing to adequately safeguard aid workers. Urging for prompt action, Biden called for a swift and thorough investigation by Israeli authorities, emphasizing the importance of accountability and transparency in disclosing findings. The incident sheds light on the challenges faced in distributing aid within Gaza, highlighting the pressing need for enhanced protection measures for aid workers striving to deliver essential assistance to civilians in the region.

Joe Biden accused Israel of not doing enough to protect Palestinian civilians and urged Israel to deconflict its military operations against Hamas with humanitarian operations in order to avoid civilian casualties.

A Downing Street statement reported that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said this to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday. He described the situation in Gaza as increasingly intolerable and demanded a thorough and transparent independent investigation into the killing of the aid workers. Sunak added that Israel needed to end restrictions on humanitarian aid and protect civilians, acknowledging that Israel’s forces had hit innocent people.

Netanyahu said, “Unfortunately, in the last 24 hours, there has been a tragic case of our forces unintentionally hitting innocent people in the Gaza Strip. It happens in war; we check it to the end; we are in contact with the governments; and we will do everything so that this thing does not happen again.” The founder of WCK, celebrity chef Jose Andres, one of the main suppliers of aid to Gaza, said, “The charity will pause its operations in the region immediately. We will be making decisions about the future of our work soon.”

Following the tragic incident involving the loss of nationals from the UK, US, Canada, Australia, and Poland, the Israeli army has issued a statement affirming its commitment to conducting an independent investigation. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged Israel’s responsibility for the deaths of World Central Kitchen (WCK) staff and emphasized proactive measures to prevent such occurrences in the future. Additionally, Israeli President Isaac Herzog has extended apologies for the loss of lives. The Israeli government’s pledge to review the incident at the highest levels underscores its dedication to understanding the circumstances surrounding the event and implementing necessary reforms to ensure the safety of humanitarian workers in the region.