STRATEGIC ASSESSMENT-Jose Andres, the founder of World Central Kitchen (WCK), yesterday cast doubt on the Israeli investigation into the strikes that killed seven of the organisation’s workers in Gaza, warning that the war on the Strip has turned into a “war against humanity itself.”
In a statement to ABC network, the head of the US-based relief organisation thanked the Israeli army for conducting “this quick investigation.” However, he urged for a more thorough, independent probe.
He called for additional information and better-quality video recordings. He also inquired about the content of wireless communication between officers and soldiers.
“I would say that the perpetrator cannot be investigating himself,” Andres said.
The Israeli army said strikes carried by its forces last week, in which WCK’s workers in Gaza were killed, was a “grave mistake”.
The Israeli army targeted the aid convoy with three air strikes that killed seven individuals, including three British citizens, a Canadian-American, a Pole, an Australian, and a Palestinian, despite being pre-notified of the convoy’s route.
“This is not anymore about the seven men and women of World Central Kitchen that perished in this unfortunate event. This has been happening for way too long. It’s been six months of targeting anything that seems to move,” Andres said, according to ABC.
He added:
This doesn’t seem a war against terror. This doesn’t seem anymore a war about defending Israel. This really, at this point, seems it’s a war against humanity itself.
Andres described the opening of new aid routes as a “first step” and said that he supports Israel’s right to defend itself, but questioned why the US is arming a country that kills American citizens who are humanitarian workers.
He went on to liken the destruction in Gaza to that in Ukraine, adding that Israeli Prime Minister BenjaminNetanyahu’s actions are similar to those of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who wiped out entire towns and cities in Ukraine.
