Israel hoping World Central Kitchen keeps working, is in touch with organization

Israel hopes that the World Central Kitchen will return to the Gaza Strip to continue its humanitarian work, an Israeli official tells The Times of Israel.

“We are in regular contact with the organization,” says a second official.

There is no plan in place to replace the work the WCK did in the event it does not come back after the deadly strike on its convoy, the first official adds.

The IDF’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories stridently denies that the WCK’s functions couldn’t be replaced.

“We deeply value their work,” says a spokesperson.

“The IDF works with a range of organizations and private companies throughout the Gaza Strip, and has a range of options,” the spokesperson continues.

COGAT would not share what the plan is to replace WCK on the routes on which their ground convoys operated.

WCK, which said last month it had served more than 42 million meals in Gaza over 175 days, announced it was pausing its operations in the region immediately and would make decisions soon about the future of its work.

The WKC aid ship Jennifer, which arrived in Gaza on Monday, was seen returning to Cyprus on Tuesday, apparently still laden with some aid intended for Gazans.