The Israeli military has claimed responsibility for the killing of a World Central Kitchen (WCK) employee in Gaza, stating that the individual was a Hamas militant involved in the October 7 attacks on Israel. However, the military provided no evidence to support this claim, and the identity of the person, as well as their alleged involvement in the attacks, could not be independently verified.
The strike also resulted in the deaths of two other WCK employees, as reported by the official Palestinian news agency Wafa. The attack targeted a civilian vehicle in southern Gaza.
World Central Kitchen responded to the tragedy with a statement expressing deep sorrow over the loss of its staff member. The charity clarified that it had no knowledge of the individual’s involvement in the October 7 attacks and emphasized that its operations in Gaza would be paused following the incident. The organization extended its condolences to the victims’ families, further underscoring the shock and devastation felt within the WCK community.
Israeli Airstrike Kills WCK Worker in Gaza Amid Disputed Hamas Allegations
The Israeli military, which has faced repeated accusations of targeting civilians in its Gaza operations, rejected these claims, arguing that Hamas uses civilian infrastructure and human shields.
The Palestinian medics reported that five people were killed in the strike, and a woman at the hospital in Khan Younis reportedly identified one of the victims as a WCK employee. The items found at the scene, such as personal belongings and WCK-branded stickers, corroborated this identification.
In another strike in Khan Younis, Israeli airstrikes reportedly killed at least nine more people, including security personnel who were overseeing humanitarian aid deliveries. This came after a previous deadly Israeli attack in April that killed seven WCK workers, which the Israeli military described as an error. Despite these ongoing incidents, the military maintains that its operations are targeting Hamas militants, not civilians.
Meanwhile, Israel’s broader military actions have continued across Gaza, with medics reporting at least 32 Palestinian deaths in the latest strikes, including a significant attack on a house in central Gaza City. This violence comes amid a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, which has largely held since it began days earlier.
Despite the truce, Israel launched airstrikes on Hezbollah smuggling sites in Syria, claiming that these actions violated the ceasefire agreement, while Lebanon and Hezbollah have not yet responded to the latest developments.
