In a heartbreaking turn of events, two aid workers were killed in Israeli airstrikes on Gaza this Saturday, intensifying the already dire humanitarian situation in the region. 🇵🇸💔
One of the victims was a member of the World Central Kitchen, a U.S.-based charity known for its efforts to provide meals in disaster zones. He was hit while in a vehicle in Khan Younis, Southern Gaza. The Israeli military claimed that he had participated in the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel, specifically the attack on Kibbutz Nir Oz. They stated he was under surveillance but did not present any evidence to support these allegations.
The family of the man, identified as Ahed Azmi Qdeih, denied the Israeli claims, stating they were false and served to justify his unlawful killing. They described him as an engineer dedicated to charitable work, not militancy.
World Central Kitchen confirmed the tragic incident, expressing their heartbreak over the loss. \"We are heartbroken to share that a vehicle carrying World Central Kitchen colleagues was hit by an Israeli air strike in Gaza,\" the organization stated on X (formerly Twitter). \"World Central Kitchen had no knowledge that any individual in the vehicle had alleged ties to the October 7th Hamas attack.\"
The charity announced a pause in their operations in Gaza, emphasizing that they are working with incomplete information and urgently seeking more details.
The Palestinian news agency WAFA reported that three employees of the charity were killed in the strike, with medics reporting a total of five fatalities.
Later, international aid agency Save the Children reported that a 39-year-old staff member, Ahmad Faisal Isleem Al-Qadi, was also killed in an airstrike in Khan Younis. It remains unclear if the two men were victims of the same attack. Israel has not yet commented on Save the Children's statement.
In another devastating strike in Khan Younis, medics reported that at least nine Palestinians were killed when an Israeli airstrike hit a car near a crowd receiving flour. The vehicle was reportedly used by security personnel overseeing aid deliveries into Gaza.
The Israeli military maintains that it does not target civilians and accuses Hamas of operating from civilian facilities and using Gaza's population as human shields\u2014allegations that Hamas denies.
Gaza medics reported that at least 32 Palestinians were killed in Israeli strikes across the enclave overnight and into Saturday, including seven casualties from a strike on a house in central Gaza City.
As the conflict intensifies, the humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to worsen, drawing international concern and calls for an end to the violence. 🌍🙏
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
