Apr 28, 2024,05:02pm EDT
HEADLINE — Four weeks after seven of its employees were murdered in an Israeli bombing that was widely denounced and characterized by Israel as “unintentional,” World Central Kitchen, led by TOPLINE Chef José Andrés, announced on Monday that it would resume relief activities in Gaza.
Important Information
WCK announced in a press release on Sunday afternoon that it was prepared to provide 276 trucks containing 8 million meals for Gaza, where the U.N. estimates that approximately 1.1 million people are suffering from “catastrophic hunger.”
The charity claimed that in addition to “exploring” alternative options, such as using the Israeli port of Ashdod and sending more trucks from nearby Jordan, it was also “exploring” other options for growing its operations and bringing more food to Gaza.
In addition, the group announced that it was constructing a brand-new “high production kitchen” in Mawasi, which would be called “Damian’s Kitchen” in honor of victim Damian Sobol. Andrés, the creator of the organization and renowned chef, shared a video showing WCK workers constructing the facility in southern Gaza.
In addition to running 68 more community kitchens throughout the besieged area, WCK also runs two additional “high production” facilities in Rafah and Deir al-Balah.
The resumption occurs just three days after Andrés declared the relief workers “the best of humanity” during his eulogy at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C.
ESSENTIAL PREFACE
On April 1, seven workers from WCK were slain in a convoy that was passing through central Gaza, close to Deir al-Balah. Andrés claims that the Israeli Defense Force hit three different automobiles carrying the humanitarian workers, pursuing them “systematically.” Following the strike, Israel issued an apology, describing it as a “serious error resulting from a major failure caused by a mistaken identification, errors in decision-making, and an attack against the Standard Operating Procedures.” Following the incident, two senior military officers were let go. WCK, however, asserted that the Israeli military “cannot credibly investigate its own failure in Gaza” and demanded an impartial inquiry. “Although we have no concrete assurances, we continue to seek answers and advocate for change with the goal of better protecting WCK and all NGO workers serving selflessly in the worst humanitarian conditions,” said Erin Gore, CEO of the nonprofit, on Sunday.
Crucial Quote
Gore said in a statement on Sunday, “We have been forced to make a decision: keep feeding knowing that aid, aid workers, and civilians are being intimidated and killed, or stop feeding altogether during one of the worst hunger crises ever, ending our operation that accounted for 62% of all International NGO aid.” “In the end, we came to the conclusion that we had to keep feeding and carry out our mission of showing up to give people food during the most trying times.”