Israel Takes Responsibility for Strike that Killed 7 Aid Workers: Live Updates | USAEMALL.com

Here’s what we all know.

The convoy of three automobiles had simply left a meals warehouse.

The World Central Kitchen employees members have been leaving a warehouse in Deir al Balah, a metropolis within the central Gaza Strip, when their convoy — two armored automobiles and a 3rd automobile — got here beneath hearth late Monday, the group mentioned in an announcement.

The Israeli navy had been knowledgeable of the help employees’ actions, the charity mentioned. Aid employees had simply unloaded greater than 100 tons of meals dropped at Gaza by sea on the warehouse, in keeping with the group.

Videos and images verified by The New York Times counsel the convoy was hit a number of occasions. The imagery reveals three destroyed white automobiles, with the northernmost and southernmost automobiles almost a mile and a half aside.

The World Central Kitchen emblem might be seen on objects contained in the charred interiors of the northernmost and southernmost automobiles. The automobile within the center was left with a gaping gap in its roof, which was clearly marked with the group’s emblem. All three automobiles, although far aside from one another, have been on or close to the Al-Rashid coastal street.

It remained unclear on Tuesday morning what kind of munition struck the automobiles and whether or not these explosives have been launched from the bottom, a warplane or a drone.

Six overseas residents and a Palestinian have been killed.

World Central Kitchen mentioned a type of killed was a twin citizen of the United States and Canada, whereas the others have been from Australia, Britain, Gaza and Poland. In a publish with the victims’ names and ages on the group’s web site, its chief govt, Erin Gore, mentioned “We are reeling from our loss.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of Australia recognized one of many victims as Zomi Frankcom, an Australian citizen and a senior supervisor at World Central Kitchen. “The tributes flowing for Lalzawmi ‘Zomi’ Frankcom tell the story of a life dedicated to the service of others, including her fellow Australians during natural disasters,” Penny Wong, the nation’s overseas minister, mentioned on social media.

Damian Sobol, an support employee from the southeastern Polish metropolis of Przemysl, died within the assault, in keeping with the town’s mayor, Wojciech Bakun. “There are no words to describe what people who knew this fantastic guy feel at this moment,” he mentioned in a publish on social media.

David Cameron, the British overseas secretary, mentioned on social media that three of the help employees who have been killed have been British residents. The BBC reported their names: John Chapman, James Henderson and James Kirby. Local British media retailers described Mr. Chapman and Mr. Henderson as former Royal Marines who later turned to volunteer work.

Jacob Flickinger, who additionally died within the assault, was a 33-year-old twin citizen of the United States and Canada, in keeping with the World Central Kitchen, and labored on the group’s aid crew.

Palestinian medics retrieved the our bodies of the seven victims and took them to a hospital in Deir al Balah, in keeping with the Palestine Red Crescent Society. The our bodies of the foreigners have been to be taken out of Gaza into Egypt, the group mentioned.

Saif Abutaha, a 25-year-old Gazan working as a driver and translator for World Central Kitchen, additionally died within the assault. Mr. Abutaha was an enterprising younger man who labored in his father’s enterprise and spoke good English, his brother Shadi mentioned.

Mr. Abutaha and different World Central Kitchen employees have been thrilled to have the chance to unload the desperately wanted meals support. “They were so excited, like they were going to a wedding,” his brother mentioned. It was the final time he noticed him.

Mr. Cameron mentioned on social media that “it is essential that humanitarian workers are protected and able to carry out their work.” He known as on Israel “to immediately investigate and provide a full, transparent explanation of what happened.”

At least 196 support employees have been killed in Gaza and the West Bank between October 2023 and late March, in keeping with Jamie McGoldrick, a senior U.N. aid official. “This is not an isolated incident,” he mentioned, later including: “There is no safe place left in Gaza.”

The prime minister appeared to take accountability for the ‘unintentional’ assault.

In a video assertion on Tuesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel referred to a “tragic case of our forces unintentionally harming innocent people in the Gaza Strip.” Mr. Netanyahu didn’t identify World Central Kitchen in his remarks.

But an Israeli official accustomed to the matter, who spoke on situation of anonymity as a result of the strike was nonetheless beneath investigation, clarified that the prime minister was referring to the strike.

“It happens in war, we are fully examining this, we are in contact with the governments, and we will do everything so that this thing does not happen again,” Mr. Netanyahu mentioned.

An Israeli navy official, who spoke on situation of anonymity to debate an inside investigation, mentioned the navy had concluded it was chargeable for the strike on the convoy. Gen. Herzi Halevi, the Israeli navy chief of employees, is predicted to overview findings of an preliminary inquiry into the incident on Tuesday night, the official mentioned.

A spokesman for Israel’s navy, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, mentioned the investigation had been referred to the Fact Finding and Assessment Mechanism, a navy physique tasked with investigating accusations and searching into the circumstances behind battlefield episodes. “We will be opening a probe to examine this serious incident further,” he mentioned. “This will help us reduce the risk of such an event from occurring again.”

The Israeli navy mentioned the mechanism was an “independent, professional and expert body.” Human rights teams have usually been essential of the Israeli navy’s skill to transparently examine itself, charging that inquiries are sometimes lengthy and barely result in indictments.

The World Central Kitchen support ship is headed again to Cyprus.

At the time of the strike, employees had unloaded 100 tons of support from the Jennifer, a World Central Kitchen vessel that had left the Cypriot port of Larnaca final weekend and arrived in Gaza on Monday. Another 240 tons have been to be unloaded on Tuesday, in keeping with Theodoros Gotsis, a spokesman for the Cypriot overseas ministry.

Mr. Gotsis mentioned that the Jennifer as an alternative left Gaza to sail again to Larnaca on Tuesday. He added that a number of extra tons of support have been ready at warehouses in Larnaca, however that it was not clear when and whether or not a mission to ship them would happen.

Patrick Kingsley, Rawan Sheikh Ahmad, Gabby Sobelman, Matina Stevis-Gridneff, Lauren Leatherby, Nader Ibrahim and Kim Severson contributed reporting to this text.