From the Liveblog of
Sunday, April 28, 2024
World Central Kitchen set to renew work in Gaza after deadly strike on aid convoy
Lazar Berman is The Times of Israel's diplomatic reporter
The World Central Kitchen will resume operations in Gaza tomorrow, the aid organization announces. WCK suspended its work in Gaza after an April 1 IDF air strike killed 7 workers.
A Palestinian team will be delivering food, including to the northern part of the Strip, according to WCK.
Israel has been working to convince WCK to return to Gaza since the attack.
Until the deadly incident, WCK accounted for 62 percent of all international NGO aid in Gaza, according to the organization.
“We are restarting our operation with the same energy, dignity and focus on feeding as many people as possible,” says WCK Chief Executive Officer Erin Gore. “To date, we have distributed more than 43 million meals, and we are eager to deliver millions more. Food is a universal right, and our work in Palestine has been the most life-saving mission in our 14-year organizational history. We will continue to get as much food into Gaza, including northern Gaza, as possible — by land, air or sea.”
According to WCK, the aid organization has 276 trucks ready to enter through the Rafah Crossing, and will also send trucks from Jordan.
WCK is still looking to use the maritime corridor from Cyprus and is looking into using Ashdod Port.
The organization also announces that WCK is opening a third kitchen in Gaza, in the coastal Mawasi area. It will be called “Damian’s Kitchen” after Polish aid worker Damian Soból killed on April 1. WCK has two other high-production kitchens, one in Rafah and Deir al-Balah.
The organization continues to call for an impartial and international investigation into the IDF attack.
“We have been forced to make a decision: Stop feeding altogether during one of the worst hunger crises ever, ending our operation that accounted for 62% of all International NGO aid,” says Gore, “or keep feeding knowing that aid, aid workers and civilians are being intimidated and killed,”
“Ultimately, we decided we must keep feeding, continuing our mission of showing up to provide food to people during the toughest of times.”
The Times of Israel Community.