NEW DELHI: Israeli Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu
on Tuesday acknowledged that seven aid workers were unintentionally killed in an
air strike
in Gaza by
Israeli armed forces
, and added that such things “happen in war”.
Expressing regret over the incident,
Netanyahu
said: “Unfortunately, in the last day there was a
tragic case
of our forces unintentionally hitting innocent people in the Gaza Strip.”
“It happens in war, we will investigate it right to the end…
We are in contact with the governments, and we will do everything so that this thing does not happen again,” said the PM.
The victims, who were affiliated with the US-based
World Central Kitchen
(WCK), were involved in providing food aid to Gaza.
Following the strike, WCK temporarily halted its operations in Gaza.
The aid workers hailed from various countries including Australia, Poland, the United Kingdom, the US, Canada, and Palestine.
Israeli military spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari conveyed condolences to WCK’s founder, Jose Andres, and assured a transparent investigation by the military’s Fact Finding and Assessment Mechanism.
Israel’s Chief of the General Staff, Herzi Halevi, will personally oversee the initial inquiry into the incident. UN agencies have repeatedly warned of a looming famine in northern Gaza, labeling it a man-made crisis. The recent escalation began with the attack on October 7, resulting in significant casualties on both sides.
The conflict between Israel and Hamas has claimed numerous lives, with civilians bearing the brunt of the violence. The situation remains tense as efforts are made to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza amidst the ongoing hostilities.
(With inputs from agencies)