US SecDef lambasts Gallant, says 'outraged' by Israeli strike on WCK
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Lloyd Austin highlights the need to take immediate action to protect aid workers and Palestinian civilians.
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Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin meets with Israeli Security Minister Yoav Gallant at the Pentagon, on Tuesday, March 26, 2024, in Washington. (AP)
In a phone conversation with Israeli Security Minister Yoav Gallant, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin voiced out "his outrage" at the Israeli strike on World Central Kitchen's (WCK) humanitarian convoy in the Gaza Strip that killed seven aid workers, Pentagon Spokesperson Major General Pat Ryder said in a release.
"Secretary Austin expressed his outrage at the Israeli strike on a World Central Kitchen humanitarian aid convoy that killed seven aid workers, including an American citizen," Ryder said on April 3.
"Secretary Austin stressed the need to immediately take concrete steps to protect aid workers and Palestinian civilians in Gaza after repeated coordination failures with foreign aid groups," he added.
The release claimed that the US Secretary of Defense and Israeli Security Minister will conduct a "swift and transparent" investigation into the incident, share conclusions publicly, and "hold those responsible to account."
"Secretary Austin stated that this tragedy reinforced the expressed concern over a potential Israeli military operation in Rafah, specifically focusing on the need to ensure the evacuation of Palestinian civilians and the flow of humanitarian aid," Ryder stressed.
The release added that Austin also revoiced US support for "Israel's defense against a range of regional threats."
Read more: UN team receives bodies of WCK foreign aid staffers killed by 'Israel'
'Israel' killing aid workers, once again
The non-profit World Central Kitchen (WCK) named its seven aid workers who were killed in an Israeli strike in Gaza on Monday, praising their “beautiful souls,” as international condemnation over the incident continues to pour in.
The staff killed by "Israel" comprised a dual US-Canada national, three Brits, an Australian, a Pole, and a Palestinian who worked as their driver and translator were killed when Israeli missiles struck the WCK convoy upon its return on a route pre-coordinated with the Israeli forces.
The World Central Kitchen said in a post on X that it was "aware of reports" that members of its staff had been killed in an Israeli attack while working to support humanitarian food delivery efforts in Gaza.
We are aware of reports that members of the World Central Kitchen team have been killed in an IDF attack while working to support our humanitarian food delivery efforts in Gaza. This is a tragedy. Humanitarian aid workers and civilians should NEVER be a target. EVER.
— World Central Kitchen (@WCKitchen) April 1, 2024
"This is a tragedy. Humanitarian aid workers and civilians should NEVER be a target. EVER," it stressed.
The NGO's founder Chef Jose Andres said that the World Central Kitchen "lost several of our sisters and brothers" in an Israeli airstrike.
