Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi on the death of 7 aid workers in the IDF attack/IDF Spokesman
The founder of the "World Central Kitchen" organization, chef Jose Andres, said that the IDF attack in Gaza, in which seven of his organization's aid workers were killed, was "systematic" and hit "vehicle after vehicle".
In a video call held yesterday (Wednesday) with the Reuters news agency , the celebrity chef said the organization had clear communication with the military, which he said knew the movements of its aid workers.
"It wasn't just an unfortunate situation where 'oops' we dropped the bomb in the wrong place," Anders said. "It was more than 1.5, 1.8 kilometers, with a very defined humanitarian convoy that had signs on the top, on the roof, a very colorful logo that we are of course very proud of," he said. It is "very clear who we are and what we are doing."
Anders said that the IDF was aware of its whereabouts of the convoy. He called for an investigation into the incident by the United States government and by the countries of origin of all the aid workers who were killed. "They attacked us outside of a combat zone, in an area controlled by the IDF. They knew it was our crews moving on this road with three cars," he said.
The aid workers were killed when their convoy was hit shortly after they supervised the unloading of a hundred tons of food brought to Gaza by sea.
"It wasn't just a bad luck situation." Anders in an interview with Reuters, yesterday/Reuters
The IDF expressed "deep sorrow" over the incident and promised to investigate it thoroughly, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that it was an unintended attack.
But the chef was not convinced by the claims of the United States and Israel that the attack was not intentional. According to him, there may have been more than three attacks against a convoy The aid.
"In the beginning I would say unequivocally no," Anders said when asked if he accepts this explanation. "Even if we were not in coordination with the IDF, no democratic country and no army can attack civilians and humanitarian aid workers," he added.
Anders, who spoke with US President Joe Biden on Tuesday, said he was supposed to be there with his team, but he was unable to return to Gaza in time. According to him, the United States should do more to stop the war.
"The United States must do more to tell Prime Minister Netanyahu that this war needs to end now," he said. He questioned the Biden administration's moves to provide aid to Gaza while it continues to arm Israel.
"It's very complicated to understand. America is going to send its navy and army to do humanitarian work, but at the same time weapons provided by America are killing civilians," he said.
More in Walla!
From Ukraine to Gaza: the organization that supplies food to the centers of disaster and conflict in the world
To the full article
One of the vehicles of the convoy attacked in Gaza/Reuters
The chef also wondered how Netanyahu could wage a war to rescue the Israeli hostages "when it is possible that they may be dying under the rubble from the same weapons" that the IDF is using against the Palestinians.
Anders said his organization, which he founded following the devastating earthquake in Haiti in 2010, is still examining the situation in Gaza. While considering whether to resume food deliveries to Gaza.
He described how he learned of the attack that occurred in Deir al-Balah. He said that initially, his organization lost contact with his team in Gaza, and did not understand what had happened until he saw pictures of the bodies.
According to him, after L attacked the first armored vehicle, the crew managed to escape and move to a second car that was also attacked. They moved to a third vehicle and the aid workers tried to communicate with the IDF to clarify who they were. He added that the IDF knew they were in this area which is under its control.
Then, according to him, the third vehicle was hit, "and we saw the results".
Anders condemned the war, which began following the massacre by Hamas on October 7. "It seems that this is a war against humanity itself. And this war can never be won. In the end, humanity will always win," he said.
At least 196 humanitarian aid workers have been killed in Gaza since the war broke out, according to the United Nations. Israel maintains that it does not intentionally harm them and accuses Hamas of hiding behind humanitarian and civilian facilities.
More on the same topic:
Gaza war
IDF