Galit Altstein | Bloomberg News (TNS)
The Israeli army has removed two officers because of a missile attack on a World Central Kitchen vehicle convoy this week that resulted in the deaths of seven aid workers.
The Israel Defense Forces stated on Friday that Monday's assault was a serious mistake due to a failure, wrong identification, decision-making errors, and a violation of procedures.
The discharged officers were a colonel and a major. The IDF's chief of staff, Herzi Halevi, also formally reprimanded the head of the Southern Command, which includes Gaza, for his overall responsibility.
World Central Kitchen, a disaster-relief group founded by celebrity chef José Andrés, responded by calling for an independent investigation into the killings of the WCK colleagues, despite the IDF taking responsibility.
WCK stated in a message that the IDF cannot effectively investigate its own failure in Gaza.
Three British nationals were killed in the attack along with a Palestinian, a Pole, an Australian and a dual U.S.-Canadian citizen.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken mentioned that the U.S. government is examining Israel's report on the incident as part of a broader evaluation to enhance humanitarian conditions in Gaza and prevent further civilian casualties.
Blinken emphasized the importance of Israel taking full responsibility for the incident, holding those accountable, and ensuring steps are taken to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The fatal incident made headlines worldwide and upset Israel's allies. U.S. President Joe Biden expressed his anger and informed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that U.S. support for Israel's Gaza campaign depends on new measures to protect civilians.
Following the conversation between the two leaders, Israel announced its intention to increase the flow of aid to avoid a humanitarian crisis.
Israel will allow aid delivery into Gaza through the previously closed Erez checkpoint in the north of the enclave, and will increase the amount of goods entering via Kerem Shalom in the south. However, the distribution of aid within Gaza remains a significant concern.
Misidentification
The IDF stated that its forces identified two gunmen and approved the attack on Monday after one of the commanders mistakenly assumed they were part of the convoy. The forces did not recognize the vehicles as being associated with WCK.
Israel's war in Gaza, which started after the Oct. 7 attacks by Hamas terrorists resulting in 1,200 deaths and 250 abductions, will enter its seventh month next week. The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza reports that the number of Palestinians killed now exceeds 32,000.
Recent negotiations for a cease-fire in exchange for the release of hostages have come to a standstill.
The U.S. and European Union consider Hamas to be a terrorist organization.
(With help from Courtney McBride.)
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