 "Joe Biden, Biden")
The death of seven workers of the charity group World Central Kitchen in an Israeli military strike in Gaza on Tuesday has prompted international condemnation and the USA’s strongest criticism of its West Asia ally.
US President Biden said he is “outraged and heartbroken”, placing the blame squarely on Israel. In a statement, Biden expressed deep sorrow for the deaths and used some of his most impassioned language since the onset of the Israel-Hamas conflict on October 7.
"Incidents like yesterday’s simply should not happen. Israel has also not done enough to protect civilians. The US has repeatedly urged Israel to deconflict their military operations against Hamas with humanitarian operations, in order to avoid civilian casualties,” said Biden.
According to media reports, Biden discussed the deaths with a select group of Muslim leaders at the White House on Tuesday, including individuals who have experience with the dire conditions faced by Palestinian civilians in Gaza.
Israel has pledged to conduct an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the targeting of the aid workers' vehicles. Biden has urged for a “swift” and thorough inquiry to ensure accountability.
Workers killed in ‘deconflicted zone’
More From This Section
According to media reports, World Central Kitchen said its aid workers were travelling in a “deconflicted zone” in two armoured cars branded with the charity’s logo as well as “a soft skin vehicle.”
Those killed in the Israeli military strike included a dual US-Canada national, an Australian, a Pole, three Britons, and a Palestinian, the organisation said.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday acknowledged that the aid workers had been “unintentionally” targeted.
“Unfortunately, in the last day, there was a tragic incident where our forces unintentionally struck innocent people in the Gaza Strip,” Netanyahu said in a video posted on social media. “It happens in war, and we are thoroughly investigating it. We are in contact with the governments and will do everything to prevent such occurrences in the future,” he said.
World Central Kitchen said it had paused operations in Gaza following the deadly strike and assessing the future of its operations in Gaza.
Israel’s deteriorating relations with Biden admin
The attack on World Central Kitchen workers marks a significant moment of concern amidst already heightened tensions between the US and Israel.
In the recently held United Nations Security Council meeting, the White House refused to veto a ceasefire resolution. Israeli commentators have sharply criticised the Israeli prime minister's management of relations with the Biden administration.
According to reports, Washington’s decision not to use its veto came on the back of US officials saying they spoke to their Israeli counterparts warning them in advance, suggesting that Netanyahu’s decision to cancel a visit by a delegation to the US in the aftermath of the vote was more calculated theatre than the result of surprise.
Earlier this month, more than 1,000 US troops set sail to build a floating harbour to supply Gaza with food and stem the growing risk of Palestinians dying of starvation. Biden has been vocal recently in calling for Israel to let much more humanitarian aid into the territory, with "no excuses," although it is important to note that Washington remains the biggest supplier of arms to Israel for its war on Palestinian civilians.
