JAKARTA - United States President Joe Biden said he was angry about the Israeli air attack that killed seven humanitarian aid workers from the World Central Kitchen (WCK) in the Gaza Strip.
"I am angry and heartbroken over the deaths of seven humanitarian workers from World Central Kitchen, including an American citizen, in Gaza yesterday," said President Biden, as reported by The Times of Israel, April 3.
"They provided food for hungry civilians in the midst of war. They were brave and selfless. Their deaths are a tragedy," he continued in his impassioned statement.
WCK on Tuesday shared the identities of the victims who died in Monday's incident, namely John Chapman (57), James (Jim) Henderson (33), James Kirby (47), Jacob Flickinger (33), Damian Sobol, Lalzawmi (Zomi) Frankcom and Saifeddin Issam, as reported by CNN.
"Israel has promised to conduct a thorough investigation into why the aid workers' vehicles were hit by airstrikes. That investigation must be swift, it must bring accountability, and its findings must be made public," the president stressed.
President Biden further said that the recent IDF attack on a humanitarian convoy in Gaza was not an isolated incident. Because Israel has failed to provide adequate protection to aid workers and Palestinian civilians in its war against Hamas in the coastal enclave.
"What's even more tragic is that this is not an isolated incident. This conflict is one of the worst conflicts in history in terms of the number of aid workers killed," he explained.
"This is the main reason why the distribution of humanitarian aid in Gaza has been so difficult, because Israel has not done enough to protect aid workers who are trying to provide much-needed aid to civilians," he continued.
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi apologized for Israel's deadly attack on an aid convoy in Gaza, admitting the attack was the result of a "misidentification" that was being investigated and studied, as quoted by The Times of Israel.
"Incidents like yesterday should not happen. Israel has also not done enough to protect civilians. The United States has repeatedly urged Israel to de-conflict its military operations against Hamas with humanitarian operations to avoid civilian casualties," said the Democratic Party politician.
WCK said in a statement that the victims were traveling in two armored cars bearing the WCK logo and other vehicles.
"The United States will continue to do all we can to provide humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians in Gaza, through all available means," said President Biden.
Although the convoy was coordinated with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), it was attacked as it left the Deir al-Balah warehouse, after unloading more than 100 tonnes of humanitarian food aid brought to Gaza by sea, WCK said.
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"I will continue to press Israel to do more to facilitate that assistance, and we are working hard to have an immediate ceasefire as part of the hostage deal. I have a team in Cairo working on this right now," he explained.
"Earlier today, I spoke with my friend Chef José Andrés, founder of World Central Kitchen, to express my deepest condolences for the deaths of these brave aid workers, expressing my continued support for the tireless and heroic efforts of him and his team to "get humanitarian aid. food to hungry people around the world," said President Biden.
"May God bless the humanitarian workers killed yesterday and comfort their families and loved ones in their grief," he concluded.
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