World Central Kitchen, a non-governmental organization that focuses on humanitarian efforts, has announced that they will resume their operations in the Gaza Strip following an Israeli bombing that killed seven of their employees and collaborators on April 1. In a statement, Erin Gore, the head of the NGO, stated that they will restart their operations with the same energy and dedication to feeding as many people as possible.
Although Israel has apologized for the attack, the NGO is still without guarantees that the Israeli Army has changed its operational rules. They continue to demand an impartial and international investigation into the incident. Despite the risks and challenges faced by aid workers in Gaza, the NGO has decided to press on with their mission to deliver much-needed food to the people in the region.
World Central Kitchen has 276 trucks ready to deliver almost eight million meals to Gaza through various entry points. They are also exploring new avenues for food delivery, such as through a sea corridor or the Israeli port of Ashdod. The NGO’s workers who were killed in the Israeli bombing were from various nationalities, highlighting the international nature of their humanitarian efforts.
Israel claims that the NGO workers were mistaken for armed Hamas militants, leading to the tragic attack. Two officers from the Israeli forces have been dismissed as a result of the incident. Despite these challenges and risks, World Central Kitchen remains committed to their mission of providing food assistance to those in need in Gaza.