Israel Accused of Striking Aid Workers Posing as World Central Kitchen in Gaza, Igniting International Outcry
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) reportedly targeted and killed five armed individuals who were posing as aid workers affiliated with the World Central Kitchen (WCK), a U.S.-based non-profit organization, last week. The IDF claimed that these individuals were using a vehicle adorned with WCK’s logo and exploiting the trust afforded to humanitarian organizations.
According to an IDF statement released on Tuesday, the incident occurred in the Deir al-Balah area in central Gaza, approximately several hundred meters from an Israeli military position. However, Israel’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) confirmed that the vehicle had no connection to WCK operations.
The IDF released a video showing at least eight men dressed in yellow vests and standing around a vehicle bearing the WCK logo. Several of these individuals appeared to be armed, according to the IDF’s statement. It is important to note that the video does not show any military action against the vehicle.
The news comes as ongoing violence and starvation deepen in Gaza, with Israel maintaining tight control over aid deliveries to the territory. According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, at least 227 people – including 103 children – have died from malnutrition since the beginning of the conflict.
In response to this crisis, foreign ministers from dozens of countries jointly called on Israel to permit more aid into Gaza and enable humanitarian organizations to operate there. In a letter issued Tuesday, these ministers demanded that Israel allow “all international NGO aid shipments” to enter Gaza and authorize “essential humanitarian actors” to work on the ground.
The 24 countries and the European Union signed this letter, including Australia, Canada, Spain, and the United Kingdom, which have expressed their intention to recognize a State of Palestine next month. Israel’s Foreign Ministry has yet to comment on these developments.
Last week, the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) warned that acute malnutrition is spiking in Gaza, with more than 300,000 children at severe risk. The ongoing siege of the territory has resulted in starvation and malnutrition reaching “the highest levels ever” since the conflict began, according to WFP reports. Israel continues to deny that widespread malnutrition exists within Gaza, stating there are “no signs of a ‘widespread malnutrition phenomenon.'”
Israel and the U.S. have persistently backed the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) as the primary means of distributing food, despite reports of hundreds of Palestinians being killed while attempting to access food from these sites. On Tuesday, a small group of Israeli human rights activists in Tel Aviv protested against this controversial aid initiative, marking the first known demonstration against the GHF within Israel.
As the 22-month conflict continues, there appears to be renewed efforts towards a ceasefire. A Hamas delegation arrived in Cairo on Tuesday at Egypt’s invitation to discuss the status of negotiations. This meeting follows a weekend gathering between US envoy Steve Witkoff and Qatari officials in Spain, during which they discussed the possibility of a comprehensive deal that would secure the release of the remaining 50 hostages, end the war, and address the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
The last round of negotiations ended on July 24, when the U.S. withdrew its negotiating team from Doha, accusing Hamas of failing to act in good faith, as stated by Witkoff at the time. An Israeli source declined to comment on the meeting, though the sudden withdrawal of the U.S. and subsequent ceasefire negotiations have raised concerns about the prospects for peace in the region.