British aid workers among seven killed in Gaza airstrike

Source: WCK/Christian Aid

One Briton is confirmed dead in an Israeli strike in Gaza that killed seven aid workers earlier but there are reports that as many as three Britons may have been killed. * See UPDATE below.

The charity World Central Kitchen (WCK) says the dead include three Britons, an Australian, a Pole and an American-Canadian dual citizen.

The workers were WCK volunteers. They had just unloaded more than 100 tonnes of humanitarian food aid brought to Gaza by sea and were leaving in a three car convoy where they were hit.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has acknowledged that the Israeli military hit "innocent people", describing it as "tragic and unintentional."..."It happens in war" he said in a video message in Hebrew, pledging to investigate and ensure such an event doesn't happen again.

More than 196 aid workers have been killed in Gaza since October.

WCK was one of the main suppliers of food to Gaza - by ship from Cyprus - because Israel has blocked the major land route supplying Gaza. ( A huge amount of food and medicines is stuck on the road leading to Gaza from Israel).

WCK says it is immediately "pausing" its operations in the region.

"We will be making decisions about the future of our work soon," the not-for-profit said in a statement on its website.

Its CEO, Erin Gore, said: 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."

Christian Aid's Head of Middle East Policy & Advocacy William Bell said: "Christian Aid sends our sincere condolences to World Central Kitchen. Our prayers are with the family and friends of the aid workers who have lost their lives in Gaza.

"We condemn this attack and demand adherence to international humanitarian law. This is another reminder of the indiscriminate and serious threat posed by airstrikes an demonstrates the fallacy of there being anything such as safe zones in Gaza.

"We are therefore calling for a permanent ceasefire to guarantee a safe and effective humanitarian response and, ultimately, to create the conditions for a sustainable peace."

* UPDATE:

Aid workers killed in Gaza yesterday: Lalzawmi 'Zomi' Frankcom, (Australian) Damian Sobol, (Polish) Saifeddin Issam Ayad Abutaha, (Palestinian) John Chapman, 57 James Kirby, 47, and James (Jim) Henderson,33, (British) Jacob Flickinger (American-Canadian).