Israeli Airstrike on Gaza Car Kills Five, Including World Central Kitchen Employees

An Israeli airstrike on a car in the Gaza Strip on Saturday resulted in the deaths of five people, including employees of World Central Kitchen (WCK). The charity, which provides food aid in crisis zones, expressed deep sorrow over the incident, stating that it was “heartbroken” by the loss of its workers. WCK has since announced that it is pausing its operations in Gaza, while it seeks further details on the attack.

Israel’s military claimed that one of the victims was involved in the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack, which sparked the ongoing conflict. The military said the targeted individual was part of the assault on the kibbutz of Nir Oz and had connections to the Hamas-led attack. In response, WCK expressed it had no knowledge of any alleged links to the attack, and it was working with incomplete information. The organization has previously suspended its work in Gaza earlier this year after an Israeli strike killed seven of its workers.

The Israeli military has called on senior international officials and WCK to clarify how the individual came to work with the charity. The situation remains under investigation, and the humanitarian community continues to monitor developments in the region.