Celebrity chef Jose Andres says an Israeli attack that killed seven of his food aid workers in Gaza had targeted them "systematically, car by car."
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Speaking via video, Andres said the World Central Kitchen (WCK) charity group he founded had clear communication with the Israeli military, which he said knew his aid workers' movements.
"This was not just a bad luck situation where 'oops' we dropped the bomb in the wrong place," Andres told Reuters in an emotional interview on Wednesday.
"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."
Andres said the IDF was aware of the convoy's whereabouts. He called for investigations of the incident by the US government and by the home country of every aid worker that was killed.
"They were targeting us in a deconflicting zone, in an area controlled by IDF. They knowing that it was our teams moving on that road ... with three cars," he said.
The aid workers were killed when their convoy was hit shortly after they oversaw the unloading of 100 tons of food brought to Gaza by sea. Israel's military expressed "severe sorrow" over the incident and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called it unintentional.
Andres said there may have been more than three strikes against the aid convoy. He rejected Israeli and US assertions that the strike was not deliberate.
"Initially, I would say categorically no," Andres said when asked if he accepted that explanation.
"Even if we were not in co-ordination with the (Israel Defence Forces), no democratic country and no military can be targeting civilians and humanitarians," he added.
Asked for comment on Andres' remarks, an Israeli military spokesperson referred to prior comments by chief of staff Herzi Halevi in which he called the incident a grave mistake and said the attack "was not carried out with the intention of harming WCK aid workers."
The bodies of the aid workers, including citizens of Australia, the United Kingdom and Poland, a dual citizen of the United States and Canada as well as a Palestinian colleague, were brought to the crossing with Egypt as international outrage simmers over an attack that highlighted the dangers faced by humanitarian staff in the enclave.
Their deaths prompted a wave of condemnation from some of Israel's closest allies, including US President Joe Biden, who said he was "outraged" by what he said was "not a stand-alone incident".
More than two million people in Gaza are now almost completely reliant on aid shipments almost six months into Israel's devastating siege and invasion of the territory triggered by Hamas' October 7 cross-border attack.
In Gaza, there were calls for stronger action to stop Israel continuing with a military campaign that local health authorities say has killed more than 32,000 people.
"This is a sign that the weapons provided by the British and American governments in support of the Israeli occupation army in weapons, money, and equipment do not differentiate between Palestinians and other nationalities," said Marwan Al-Hams, director of the Abu Youssef Al-Najjar Hospital in Rafah.
The bodies of the foreign aid workers were handed over to UN officials at the Egyptian border for transport home.
In the aftermath of the attack, Israel acknowledged that its forces carried out the strike on the convoy but said it was unintentional.
It expressed "deep sorrow" and pledged a full, independent probe.
Israel's military chief, Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi, announced the results of a preliminary investigation.
"It was a mistake that followed a misidentification - at night during a war in very complex conditions. It shouldn't have happened," he said.
He gave no further details.
He said an independent body would conduct a "thorough investigation" that would be completed in the coming days.
Israel's bombardment and invasion of Gaza followed the Hamas-led attack which killed about 1200 Israelis and foreigners, with more than 250 abducted into Gaza as hostages, according to Israeli tallies.
However the scale of the killing and the gathering humanitarian disaster in Gaza has led to a growing outcry outside Israel.
with AP
Australian Associated Press
