I am outraged and saddened by the death of seven World Central Kitchen humanitarian workers, including an American, in Gaza yesterday. They were providing food to hungry citizens in the midst of war. He was brave and selfless. His death is a tragedy.
Israel has promised a thorough investigation into why the aid workers’ vehicles were hit by airstrikes. That investigation must be swift, it must be accountable and its findings must be made public.
What is even more saddening is that this is not an isolated incident. The conflict has been one of the worst in recent memory, with scores of aid workers killed. This is a major reason why it has been so difficult to distribute humanitarian aid into Gaza – because Israel has not taken adequate steps to protect aid workers trying to deliver desperately needed help to civilians. Incidents like yesterday should never happen. Israel has also not taken adequate steps to protect civilians. The United States has repeatedly urged Israel to end its military operations against Hamas with humanitarian operations to avoid civilian casualties.
The United States will continue to make every effort to provide humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians in Gaza through all available means. I will continue to pressure Israel to do more to facilitate that assistance. And we are working hard for an immediate ceasefire as part of the hostage agreement. I have a team in Cairo working on this right now.
Earlier today, I called on my friend Chef Jose, Founder of World Central Kitchen, to express my deepest condolences on the deaths of these courageous aid workers and to express our continued support for him and his team’s tireless and heroic efforts to get food to Talked to Andres. For hungry people around the world.
May God bless the humanitarian workers killed yesterday and console their families and loved ones in their grief.
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