As you are all almost certainly already aware, seven World Central Kitchen (WCK) workers were killed by the IDF in Gaza earlier this month, and Israel has been accused of deliberately targeting them.
Monday’s attack on a World Central Kitchen aid convoy in Gaza was no case of collateral damage. The marked cars were targeted with precise aerial weapons. The workers coordinated with the Israel Defense Forces. Yet, someone gave the order to destroy them. https://t.co/bTBhqNtYqB pic.twitter.com/YpdIOKjbZV
— 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) April 7, 2024
The IDF investigation found it was a terrible tragedy based on a case of mistaken identity:
The investigation of the grave incident in which seven workers of the World Central Kitchen (WCK) were killed in the Gaza Strip as a result of IDF fire was carried out by the Joint Chiefs of Staff’s Fact-Finding and Assessment Mechanism (FFAM), led by MG (res.) Yoav Har-Even, was presented yesterday (Thursday) to the IDF Chief of the General Staff, LTG Herzi Halevi.
After presenting the findings of the investigation to the Chief of the General Staff, MG (res.) Har-Even presented them to the WCK organization and reiterated the IDF’s deep sorrow about the incident. The findings were also presented in briefings to international ambassadors and journalists.
The event occurred on April 1, 2024, during an operation to transfer humanitarian aid from the WCK to the Gaza Strip. The investigation found that the forces identified a gunman on one of the aid trucks, following which they identified an additional gunman. After the vehicles left the warehouse where the aid had been unloaded, one of the commanders mistakenly assumed that the gunmen were located inside the accompanying vehicles and that these were Hamas terrorists. The forces did not identify the vehicles in question as being associated with WCK. Following a misidentification by the forces, the forces targeted the three WCK vehicles based on the misclassification of the event and misidentification of the vehicles as having Hamas operatives inside them, with the resulting strike leading to the deaths of seven innocent humanitarian aid workers. The strikes on the three vehicles were carried out in serious violation of the commands and IDF Standard Operating Procedures.
The investigation’s findings indicate that the incident should not have occurred. Those who approved the strike were convinced that they were targeting armed Hamas operatives and not WCK employees. The strike on the aid vehicles is a grave mistake stemming from a serious failure due to a mistaken identification, errors in decision-making, and an attack contrary to the Standard Operating Procedures.
After being presented with, and considering the investigation’s findings, the IDF Chief of the General Staff decided that the following command measures will be taken: the brigade fire support commander, an officer with the rank of major, will be dismissed from his position. The brigade chief of staff, an officer with the rank of colonel in reserve, will be dismissed from his position. Additionally, the brigade commander and the 162nd Division commander will be formally reprimanded. The IDF Chief of Staff decided to formally reprimand the commander of the Southern Command for his overall responsibility for the incident.
The IDF takes seriously the grave incident that claimed the lives of seven innocent humanitarian aid workers. We express our deep sorrow for the loss and send our condolences to the families and the WCK organization. We consider the vital humanitarian activity of international aid organizations to be of utmost importance, and we will continue to work to coordinate and assist their activities, while ensuring their safety and safeguarding their lives.
The IDF once again emphasizes its commitment to fighting against the Hamas terrorist organization, while upholding the values of the IDF, the laws of war, and avoiding harming civilians. The IDF will learn the lessons of the incident and will incorporate them into the IDF’s ongoing operations.
WCW are not accepting the results of the investigation, and have demanded “an independent commission to investigate the killings,” with their founder chef José Andrés provocatively saying that Israel seems to be waging ‘a war against humanity itself.’
Since then, footage from December from both José Andrés and WCW has been doing the rounds, which shows how Hamas were very much around the WCW aid workers.
Note how Andrés even addresses Hamas’ presence, referring to them as “policemen” and suggesting they are to keep law and order – unlike the other stories circulating, which I assume is a reference to them taking the aid for themselves and even shooting Gazan civilians:
Hamas sits atop and controls every aid truck, shooting civilians who try to take the aid intended for them.
— Marina Medvin 🇺🇸 (@MarinaMedvin) April 8, 2024
Gaza international aid for civilians is a charade that exacerbates civilians suffering. If no aid is given to Hamas, Israel wins quicker.pic.twitter.com/bwKsSrK1Ce
While I am not suggesting that this means WCW are colluding with Hamas in order to somehow assist them (whether it be to transport Hamas terrorists safely or smuggle in equipment for them), nor would I positively claim they are “friends” (it might be a marriage of convenience) or that Hamas was definitely in the vehicles at the time, at the very least, what this does show is how credible is the IDF contention that “forces identified a gunman on one of the aid trucks, following which they identified an additional gunman.”
Because we can see with our very own eyes that Hamas being around the aid trucks with their weapons is a thing.
