The IDF said Tuesday it killed five armed Hamas terrorists in the Gaza Strip who were posing as aid workers for the international humanitarian group World Central Kitchen (WCK).
The terrorists were spotted near a vehicle bearing the WCK logo, despite having no connection to the organization, and were deemed a threat to Israeli troops.
Hamas terrorists wearing World Central Kitchen vests
(Video: IDF)
According to the IDF, the terrorists were eliminated in a targeted airstrike last week after deliberately affixing the aid group’s logo to their vehicle and wearing yellow vests in an attempt to disguise their activities and avoid being targeted. The Coordination and Liaison Administration in COGAT confirmed with WCK that the vehicle seen in Gaza with the group’s emblem had no link to its operations.
The strike was carried out after the vehicle was identified in the central Gaza city of Deir al-Balah, with several terrorists nearby posing a danger to Israeli forces. An Israeli Air Force aircraft then targeted and killed the men.
“Hamas and other terrorist organizations exploit humanitarian efforts to advance terror aims at the expense of Gaza’s civilians,” the IDF spokesperson said. “Through COGAT, the IDF will continue to work with international aid organizations to prevent their exploitation for terrorism.”
On March 28, WCK announced that one of its workers had been killed and six others injured in an Israeli strike in Gaza. “Our hearts are heavy today as we mourn the loss of one of our volunteers in Gaza, Jalal,” the group said in a statement. “Israeli strikes hit near one of our community kitchens during meal distribution, and Jalal was tragically killed.”
WCK, founded by Spanish-American chef José Andrés, added in a post on X: “We will continue to support community kitchens throughout the region and operate our kitchens on the ground where possible, based on daily assessments. We hope for peace for all sides and for a lasting cease-fire.”
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Andrés reposted the statement on his personal X account and sharply criticized Israel. “The people in Gaza deserve a future free from Israeli attacks on civilians, aid workers, and children, just as the people of Israel deserve to live without fear of terror and Hamas attacks. Enough. Let’s build peace, free the hostages, renew the cease-fire, allow humanitarian aid to flow again, and begin to hope for a better tomorrow,” he wrote.