The chef’s five aid workers Jose AndresWorld Central Kitchen was killed in Gaza on Monday in an alleged Israeli airstrike, according to multiple reports.
The celebrity chef’s humanitarian staff, who worked for his nonprofit World Central Kitchen, which is based in Gaza to provide food and aid to Palestinians, died after their vehicle was hit in the war-torn area .
World Central Kitchen did not reveal the identities of the workers killed in the strike but claimed the staff “died while supporting our humanitarian food delivery efforts in Gaza.” WCK also claimed that their workers were taken away in IDF attacks.
The nonprofit added… “This is a tragedy. Humanitarian aid workers and civilians should never be targeted. Ever.”
Jose shared WCK’s statement on his account on Monday night and personally wrote a tribute to the fallen aid workers.
He wrote… “I am heartbroken and saddened for their families and friends and our entire WCK family. They are people…angels…I have served with them in Ukraine, Gaza, Turkey, Morocco, Bahamas, Indonesia. They are not The faceless…they are not nameless.”
today @WCKitchen We lost several of our brothers and sisters in the IDF air strikes on Gaza. I am heartbroken and saddened for their families and friends and our entire WCK family. These people…angels…I fought alongside in Ukraine, Gaza, Turkey, Morocco, the Bahamas, Indonesia. them… https://t.co/rM3xbsiQ1Q
— Chef Jose Andres 🕊️🥘🍳 (@chefjoseandres) April 1, 2024
@chefjoseandres
Chef Andres added: “The Israeli government needs to stop this indiscriminate killing. It needs to stop restricting humanitarian aid, stop killing civilians and aid workers, stop using food as a weapon. No more innocent lives will be lost.” Peace begins with our common humanity…and it needs to start now.”
Responding to the news, the Israel Defense Forces said they were conducting a thorough review of the situation and called the casualties a “tragedy.”
WCK teams mobilize across Gaza every day to distribute food to displaced Palestinians. Hundreds of thousands of meals are cooked every day in our more than 60 kitchens in southern and central Gaza, such as mujadara, a comforting dish of rice, lentils and caramelized onions. #ChefsForThePeople pic.twitter.com/zHF3oVlKCJ
— World Central Kitchen (@WCKitchen) April 1, 2024
@WCKitchen
The statement continued… “The IDF has made extensive efforts to ensure the safe delivery of humanitarian aid and has been working closely with WCK to make important efforts to deliver food and humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza.” According to Al Jazeera According to reports, WCK staff were the first aid workers killed in the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
World Central Kitchen operates more than 60 kitchens in southern and central Gaza to provide food to people affected by the war. The organization says it has provided more than 43 million meals to Palestinians facing hunger in the ongoing conflict.
