Aid workers systematically killed by Israel: Chef Jose Andres

Last Updated on April 4, 2024 8:01 am

Seven aid workers were killed in an Israeli attack in Gaza ‘systematically targeting one vehicle after another’. Celebrity chef Jose Andres, founder of World Central Kitchen (WCK), said this in an interview with Reuters on Wednesday.

Speaking by video call, Andres said the Israeli army knew the movements of the charity workers. A fleet of vehicles that clearly states that these are humanitarian relief vehicles, with a ‘colourful logo’ on the roof is clearly visible. It was very clear, who we are and what we do. So he refused to accept this incident as unfortunate.

In this regard, Andres said, it was not at all an unfortunate event that they could say, oops! We dropped the bomb in the wrong place.

“They targeted us in a de-conflict area,” Andres said. They knew it, our teams were taking three vehicles on that road. They targeted vehicles in a planned attack.

He called on the US government and the countries of each of the aid workers killed to investigate the incident.

Incidentally, they were killed when a convoy of aid workers was attacked while monitoring 100 tons of food arriving by sea in Gaza on Monday. The Israeli military expressed “deep regret” over the incident. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called it an unintended mistake.

But the attack was not intentional — claims by Israel and the United States, Andres rejected. He said the relief vehicles were attacked more than three times.

Andres was asked during the video interview whether he accepted Israel’s explanation of self-defense. “Initially, I would definitely say no,” he replied. Even if we do not contact the Israel Defense Forces, no democratic country and no military can target civilians and humanitarian workers.