Following Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip that have left at least seven people working for World Central Kitchen (WCK) dead, the NGO has stated that it is suspending all humanitarian operations in Gaza.
The WCK convoy came under attack upon departing from the Deir al-Balah warehouse, where the team had earlier offloaded over 100 tons of humanitarian food aid delivered to Gaza via the maritime route established through Cyprus.
In its announcement, WCK noted, “World Central Kitchen is pausing our operations immediately in the region. We will be making decisions about the future of our work soon.”
WCK CEO Erin Gore further stated, “This is not only an attack against WCK, this is an attack on humanitarian organizations showing up in the most dire of situations where food is being used as a weapon of war. This is unforgivable”.
“I am heartbroken and appalled that we—World Central Kitchen and the world—lost beautiful lives today because of a targeted attack by the IDF. The love they had for feeding people, the determination they embodied to show that humanity rises above all, and the impact they made in countless lives will forever be remembered and cherished,” Gore concluded.
Cyprus’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed its condolences to the family members and friends of the killed workers, stating, “International Humanitarian Law principles are absolute: humanitarian aid workers must always be respected and protected. We call on a swift and conclusive investigation”.
