What's happened
World Central Kitchen (WCK) has paused its operations in Gaza following an Israeli airstrike that killed three of its employees. The Israeli military claimed the strike targeted a WCK worker involved in the October 7 Hamas attack, a claim WCK disputes, stating it had no knowledge of any ties to the incident.
Why it matters
What the papers say
According to The Independent, WCK expressed being 'heartbroken' over the loss of its employees and emphasized its lack of knowledge regarding any alleged ties to the October 7 attacks. Politico reported that the Israeli military claimed the targeted individual was involved in the assault on Nir Oz, demanding clarification from WCK. SBS noted that this incident follows a previous strike in April that killed seven WCK staff, raising concerns about the safety of aid workers in Gaza. The South China Morning Post reiterated the military's claims while WCK continues to seek more information about the incident.
How we got here
The conflict in Gaza has escalated since Hamas's attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, leading to significant casualties and a humanitarian crisis. WCK has been active in providing meals to those affected by the ongoing violence.
More on these topics
-
World Central Kitchen is a not-for-profit non-governmental organization devoted to providing meals in the wake of natural disasters.
-
The Israel Defense Forces, commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal, are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force, and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has
-
Hamas is a Palestinian Sunni-Islamic fundamentalist militant organization. It has a social service wing, Dawah, and a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades.
-
Gaza may refer to: