Israel’s president has apologized for the deaths of aid workers in the Gaza Strip

Israeli airstrikes hit the World Central Kitchen (WCK) convoy on Monday. The organization confirmed the deaths of seven of its workers on Tuesday, adding that they were from Australia, Poland, the United Kingdom, one worker with dual Canadian-US citizenship, and Palestinians.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later admitted that aid workers were killed in an “inadvertent intervention” by the army. “It happens in war, we will investigate it until the end. We are in contact with the governments and we will do everything to ensure that it does not happen again,” added the Israeli prime minister.

According to a statement from his office, Herzog spoke to WCK chief José Andrés on the phone and expressed his “deep sorrow and sincere apology”. At the same time, he reiterated Israel’s determination to provide humanitarian aid for Palestinians in the coastal enclave.

On Tuesday, British Foreign Secretary David Cameron called on Israel to provide a “full, transparent explanation” for the airstrike in the Gaza Strip. Other states are also asking for clarification of the situation, Sky News reported.

Cameron expressed deep dismay at the news of the deaths, stressing that British citizens were among the victims. He called on Israel to quickly investigate the event and provide clear information about what happened, with an emphasis on the protection of aid workers.

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong also expressed her sadness at the death of an Australian aid worker in an attack in the Gaza Strip. The Government of Australia confirmed the loss of life of this worker and expressed its deepest condolences to the family and loved ones. At the same time, she condemned the Israeli attack.

Cypriot President Nikos Christodulidis has called for an immediate investigation into the deaths of seven aid workers killed in an attack by the Israeli army. According to him, the World Central Kitchen organization is an important partner in providing food aid to the Palestinians from Cyprus.

Airstrikes by Israeli forces hit a WCK convoy on Monday, which confirmed the deaths of seven of its personnel. The victims included workers from Australia, Poland, the UK, Canada and the US, as well as Palestinians.

The Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs also expressed its “deepest condolences” to the family of a Polish volunteer killed in an Israeli airstrike in the Palestinian Gaza Strip and condemned the disregard for international humanitarian law in the area.

The White House expressed deep sorrow over the deaths of WCK workers. “We are devastated and deeply troubled by this attack,” White House National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson said on the X social network.

She further emphasized that it is essential to protect the humanitarian workers who provide the necessary assistance. She called on Israel to investigate the incident as soon as possible.

The Israeli army promised a thorough investigation of the incident and the determination of its circumstances. She added that she is working with the WCK to deliver the necessary aid to the Palestinians.

WCK is involved in the delivery of food aid to the Gaza Strip from Cyprus and the construction of a temporary jetty off the coast of Gaza City where such cargo can be unloaded.

The Gaza Strip is currently almost completely sealed off, and NGOs and the United Nations accuse Israel of obstructing the delivery of essential humanitarian aid to its 2.4 million residents. They are mainly concentrated in the city of Rafah and its surroundings in the southern part of the enclave.