World Central Kitchen Calls For Independent Investigation Of Israeli Airstrikes That Killed Seven Of Its Staff In Gaza

The WCK mobile team travels the Gaza Strip every day to distribute food to Palestinian civilians. (Twitter/@WCKitchen)

JAKARTA - The World Central Kitchen (WCK) humanitarian organization has called for an independent third-party investigation into Israeli airstrikes that killed seven of its employees in Gaza this week.

"We have asked the governments of Australia, Canada, the United States, Poland, and Britain to join us in demanding an independent third-party investigation into these attacks, including whether the attacks were carried out intentionally or unlawfully," World Central Kitchen said in a statement on Thursday., reported by CNN April 4.

WCK said it had asked the Israeli government "to immediately store all documents, communications, video recordings and/or audio, and other materials that may be relevant" to the attack to "contain the integrity of the investigation."

Meanwhile, WCK founder Badminton accused Israel of "systematically" targeting seven aid workers.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israeli forces "accidentally attacked innocent people," with Israel's Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi saying the attack was a "big mistake."

"Israel has acknowledged the killing but called it a 'tragic event in which our troops accidentally injure people who are not at war,' and something 'occurrence in war'," the WCK statement said, adding "independent investigations are the only way to do that" to determine the truth of what happened" and to ensure accountability.

As previously reported, Israeli airstrikes killed seven aid workers from a team delivering food to civilians in Gaza, according to WCK and authorities in the enclave.

WCK on Tuesday shared the identities of the dead victims of Monday, namely John Chapman (57), James (Jim) Henderson (33), James Kirby (47), Jacob Flickinger (33), Damian Sobol, Lalzawmi (Zomi) Frankcom and Saifeddin Issam.

The aid workers killed in Monday's attack came from Australia, Canada, the United States, Poland, Britain, and Gaza.

"They traveled in two armored cars bearing the WCK logo and other vehicles," WCK said in a statement.

Although the convoy was already coordinated with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), the convoy was attacked while leaving Deir al-Balah's warehouse, after lowering more than 100 tons of humanitarian food aid brought to Gaza by sea, the WCK said.