Biden expresses outrage over aid workers' death, sharply criticises Israel for 'inaction'
The damaged vehicle where employees from the World Central Kitchen (WCK), including foreigners were killed.
United States President Joe Biden on Tuesday (April 2) said that Israel's government "has not done enough to protect aid workers" in Gaza amid its war with Hamas.
In his statement over the death of the aid workers, Biden said that he's "outraged and heartbroken" by the incident.
He said that the investigation promised by Israel's government "must be swift".
"Even more tragically, this is not a stand-alone incident. This conflict has been one of the worst in recent memory in terms of how many aid workers have been killed," Biden said.
"This is a major reason why distributing humanitarian aid in Gaza has been so difficult — because Israel has not done enough to protect aid workers trying to deliver desperately needed help to civilians. Incidents like yesterday's simply should not happen. Israel has also not done enough to protect civilians," he added.
Biden further said that the US had "repeatedly urged Israel to deconflict their military operations against Hamas with humanitarian operations, in order to avoid civilian casualties."
President Joe Biden called World Central Kitchen founder Chef José Andres and expressed his condolences. Hewas "heartbroken" by the news, informedWhite House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre while speaking to the reporters.
"The president conveyed he is grieving with the entire World Central Kitchen family. The president felt it was important to recognize the tremendous contribution World Central Kitchen has made to the people in Gaza and people around the world," he said.
Biden further said to Andres that "he will make clear to Israel that humanitarian aid workers must be protected," said Jean-Pierre.
Humanitarian groups suspend operations in Gaza
Several other countries expressed their outrage over the killing of seven international aid workers in Gaza as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the convoy was struck by the armed forces "unintentionally".
Meanwhile, humanitarian groups - like Anera and US-based Project Hope - announced that they are suspending operations in the territory in the aftermath of the tragic attack. World Central Kitchen had already halted its operations in Gaza.
Anera said that the decision was an “unprecedented step” and added that the killings, “alongside the loss of numerous other aid workers and their families, has led our team to conclude that delivering aid safely is no longer feasible”.
Also Read:Foreign aid workers killed after food delivery in Israeli strike on Gaza, NGO decries attack
“While we understand the severe consequences this suspension will have on the Palestinian population, the escalating risks associated with aid delivery leave us with no choice but to halt operations until our staff regain confidence that they can do their work without undue risk,” its statement read.
Seven aid workers of World Central Kitchen, who were leaving a warehouse in Deir al-Balah, were killed in an Israeli strike in central Gaza on Tuesday (April 2).
The seven aid workers were Palestinian, UK, Australian and Polish nationals and one was also a US-Canada dual citizen.
Israel faces international pressure
In the wake of the killing of the aid workers, Israel has been facing increasing international pressure and has promised to carry out an independent investigation.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog issued an apology for the deaths. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke to UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on the call, in which the latter called the situation in Gaza "increasingly intolerable" and "demanded a thorough and transparent independent investigation" into the aid workers' killing.
Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said that he has asked his Israeli counterpart Israel Katzfor an independent investigation.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated that "full accountability" was required and added that it was "absolutely unacceptable for aid workers to be killed" by the IDF.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said, "Someone going about providing aid and humanitarian assistance should [never] lose their life."
Netanyahu vows independent investigation
Netanyahu vowed for an independent investigation while acknowledging that Israel's forces had hit "innocent people".
"Unfortunately, in the last 24 hours, there was a tragic case of our forces unintentionally hitting innocent people in the Gaza Strip. It happens in war, we check it to the end, we are in contact with the governments, and we will do everything so that this thing does not happen again," he said.
Watch:Israel War: Israel under pressure over aid workers' deaths
IDF chief apologises, calls it a 'grave mistake'
Israeli Defence Forces chief Herzi Halevi accepted that it had committed a "grave mistake" in killing the aid workers.
"It was a mistake that followed a misidentification at night, during a war, in very complex conditions. It shouldn't have happened. We will continue taking immediate action to ensure that more is done to protect humanitarian aid workers. This incident was a grave mistake. Israel is at war with Hamas, not with the people of Gaza. We are sorry for the unintentional harm to the members of WCK. An independent body will investigate the incident thoroughly, we will complete it in the next coming days," Halevi said, in a video message shared on X.
(With inputs from agencies)