President Joe Biden expressed deep anger and sorrow on Tuesday regarding the tragic deaths of seven humanitarian aid workers, one of whom was an American citizen. These dedicated individuals, who were affiliated with the nonprofit organization World Central Kitchen, lost their lives in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza.
In a statement, Biden expressed his admiration for the individuals who courageously and selflessly provided food to hungry civilians during a time of war. He described their deaths as a tragic loss.
Biden reached out to chef José Andrés, the founder of the organization in 2010, to offer his condolences. The president expressed his deep sadness over the tragic loss of the workers and commended the organization for their tireless and courageous work in providing food to those in need worldwide.
Israel has made a commitment to carry out a comprehensive investigation into the airstrikes that targeted the aid workers’ vehicles. President Biden emphasized the importance of this investigation, stating that it should be conducted swiftly, ensuring accountability, and its findings should be made public.
On Monday, seven workers tragically lost their lives when their convoy was attacked as they were leaving the Deir al-Balah warehouse. This warehouse had just received and unloaded over 100 tons of much-needed humanitarian food aid that was brought to Gaza by sea. The devastating incident has been confirmed by the group responsible for the delivery of the aid.
The group claimed that it had collaborated with the Israeli military for its operations. They mentioned that their workers were traveling in two armored cars that displayed the logo of World Central Kitchen. Among the individuals who lost their lives was Jacob Flickinger, a 33-year-old who held dual citizenship of the United States and Canada.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed regret over the unintended airstrike that resulted in the tragic death of the workers.
According to John Kirby, the Biden administration’s spokesperson on national security matters, there is no evidence to suggest that the Israelis were aware they were targeting humanitarian workers. He further emphasizes that the deaths of these workers highlight a broader issue and serve as evidence for the difficulties faced in distributing aid in Gaza.
According to Kirby, the ongoing Israel-Hamas war has resulted in the tragic loss of over 200 humanitarian workers’ lives since it began on October 7th.
According to Biden, the deaths of the workers are particularly tragic because they did not occur in isolation.
According to the speaker, this ongoing conflict stands out as one of the most devastating in recent history, primarily due to the alarming number of aid workers who have lost their lives. This tragic circumstance has posed significant challenges in distributing humanitarian assistance in Gaza, as Israel has not taken sufficient measures to ensure the safety of aid workers who are striving to provide crucial support to civilians in need.
According to Biden, Israel has not taken sufficient measures to ensure the safety of civilians.
According to a statement, an official from the United States has emphasized the importance of Israel coordinating their military actions against Hamas with humanitarian efforts to prevent harm to civilians. The World Central Kitchen has also made the decision to temporarily halt their operations in Gaza following the tragic loss of seven of their workers.
In his statement on Tuesday, President Biden expressed his commitment to providing humanitarian aid to Palestinian civilians in Gaza, emphasizing that the United States will utilize every available method to achieve this goal. Furthermore, he pledged to exert pressure on Israel to enhance the facilitation of this assistance. The president also highlighted the administration’s strong efforts to secure an immediate ceasefire, which is integral to a potential hostage-release agreement.
“I currently have a team in Cairo who are actively working on this,” he stated.
