World Central Kitchen temporarily suspended work in Gaza after staff vehicles were attacked by Israel

The charity World Central Kitchen (WCK) said it was temporarily suspending operations in Gaza after a vehicle carrying its staff was hit by an Israeli airstrike.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the target of the attack had participated in the October 7 attack on Israel and was currently employed by WCK.

WCK said it was “heartbroken to share” that a vehicle carrying staff had been hit by gunfire and that it was seeking further details, although added that it was “not aware” that anyone in the vehicle are all linked to the October 7 attack.

Palestinian state news agency Wafa reported that five people were killed in a strike in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, on Saturday, three of whom were WCK employees.

They include WCK’s kitchen director in Gaza, the agency added.

Images circulating on social networks showed a white saloon car lying on the side of the road, partially burned and with its roof punctured.

Video taken inside the morgue also showed several charred possessions – including laptops, clothes and identification cards – bearing the WCK logo.

In a statement, the IDF said it had “crashed a vehicle [carrying] a terrorist who participated in the October 7 massacre”.

They said the man had been involved in an attack on the Nir Oz kibbutz, although added that it was “unable to link the terrorist to a specific kidnapping plot”.

“The terrorist had been tracked by IDF intelligence for some time and was attacked after receiving reliable information about his real-time location,” it said.

It said the attack took place in an “unmarked civilian vehicle” whose movement “was not coordinated to transport aid”.

It went on to ask WCK and the international community for “clarification and urgent investigation” into the “hiring of workers to participate in… terrorist activities against Israel”.

A statement from WCK said it was “heartbroken to share that a vehicle carrying World Central Kitchen colleagues was hit by an Israeli airstrike in Gaza”.

“At this time, we are working with incomplete information and are urgently seeking further details,” it said.

“World Central Kitchen was unaware that any of the individuals in the vehicle were accused of being involved in the October 7 Hamas attack.”

They added that they would pause their work in Gaza.

“Our hearts go out to our colleagues and their families in this unimaginable moment,” it said.

In April, seven WCK workers, including three British security officers, were arrested. killed in an Israeli attack on an aid convoy, causing widespread condemnation and a temporary halt to the charity’s operations.

The IDF later admitted to making “serious mistakes” and fired two senior officers.