Tel Aviv, Israel

Days after seven foreign aid workers were killed by the Israeli army in Gaza in a "grave mistake", World Central Kitchen (WCK) founder Jose Andres accused the country of targeting his aid workers "systematically, car by car".

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He said that the strike carried out by Israel on Monday (April 1) was not a mistake and added that Israeli forces were informed about the aid workers' movements. 

In the airstrike, WCK aid workers from Australia, Canada, Poland, the UK and the US lost their lives along with a Palestinian colleague. 

Israel called the strike a "grave mistake" and issued an apology. The Israeli government also vowed to carry out an independent investigation.

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According to the World Central Kitchen (WCK) founder, Israel launched strikes on the aid convoy while they were leaving the Deir al-Balah warehouse, "where the team had unloaded more than 100 tonnes of humanitarian food aid brought to Gaza on the maritime route". 

Not a 'bad luck situation' for Israeli army, charity's logo was clearly displayed: Andres 

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He said that the convoy had three vehicles, two of them were armoured and the charity's logo was clearly displayed. 

"This was not just a bad luck situation where ‘oops’ we dropped the bomb in the wrong place," said Andres.

"This was over a 1.5, 1.8 kilometres, with a very defined humanitarian convoy that had signs in the top, in the roof, a very colourful logo that we are obviously very proud of," he said. It's “very clear who we are and what we do," he added.

"They were targeting us in a deconflicting zone, in an area controlled by IDF. They know that it was our teams moving on that road ... with three cars," Andres said.

Narrating the entire incident to the Reuters news agency, the World Central Kitchen (WCK) founder said, "The team was coming from dropping in a warehouse… south of Gaza all the food they were able to download before it got too dark." 

"Somehow we kind of lost communication. Then we began [to get] information that something went wrong, that something happened. And that is when I found out our team” were targeted," he said. 

Watch: Israel War: Want Israel's complete withdrawal from Gaza, says Hamas Chief

"They were targeted systematically car by car," Andres said. He further alleged that Israel is most likely to have carried out more than three strikes by drones.

"They attacked the first car...We have a feeling they were able to escape safely because this was an armoured vehicle," Andres said. The people in the first car "were able to move in the second one. Again, this one was hit. They were able to move in the third one," he added.

He further said that the aid workers were trying to make calls when they were attacked to ask the Israeli Defense Forces, "'What are they doing? They are targeting us.’” 

"The area was controlled by the Israeli military. They knew it was our team moving on that road with three cars," he said.

Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. 

(With inputs from agencies)