Following a “targeted attack” by Israeli troops in central Gaza that claimed the lives of seven employees of the humanitarian organization World Central Kitchen (WCK), the organization was obliged to halt activities in the area and faced international censure. This incident took place on 1st of April, 2024.
According to WCK, the team’s members are from Palestine, Poland, Australia, and the United Kingdom. One had dual Canadian and American citizenship.
CEO Erin Gore said in a statement, “This is not just an attack against WCK, this is an attack on humanitarian organizations showing up in the most dire of situations where food is being used as a weapon of war.” “This is not excused.”
Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister of Israel, called the airstrike “tragic” and “unintended.”
Netanyahu stated, “These things happen in wartime,” and that an inquiry was being conducted. The authorities “will do everything for this not to happen again” and are “checking this thoroughly.”
Israel’s military have opened fire on Palestinians who are in line for food and other necessities, and it has consistently blocked and severely restricted humanitarian aid from entering the Gaza Strip.
What is WCK?
A nonprofit organization with headquarters in the US, WCK is dedicated to providing food to victims of catastrophic emergencies and conflicts worldwide, frequently serving as first responders.
Chef Jose Andres, a Spanish-American with a Michelin star, and his wife Patricia Fernandez de la Cruz created it in 2010.
After Andres traveled to Haiti in the wake of the 2010 earthquake that claimed over 250,000 lives and left over a million homeless, the couple founded the group. Along with establishing neighborhood kitchens and preparing meals for the internally displaced in camps, he collaborated with regional chefs to prepare and serve cuisine.
For his humanitarian efforts, he has received multiple honors, including the National Humanities Medal from US President Barack Obama in 2015.
“After the attack in Gaza, the Israeli government needs to stop this indiscriminate killing,” the chef wrote on X.
“It must cease limiting relief to the needy, killing people and aid workers, and utilizing food as a weapon. No more losses of innocent life. Our shared humanity is the foundation of peace. It must begin right away.
How and where has WCK operated?
The organization works largely with local chefs to provide hot meals to people in conflict and during emergencies like hurricanes, earthquakes, and climate change. It also builds food systems, trains cooks, and assists farmers.
It claims to have provided 350 million meals since it began operations, having expanded to operate in the US, Latin America, and Europe following the catastrophe in Haiti.
Food has been given by it to areas affected by natural disasters, refugees at the US border, medical personnel during the COVID-19 pandemic, and those engulfed in violence in Gaza and Ukraine.
The nonprofit organization was there when Hurricane Harvey devastated Houston, Texas, in 2017 and when Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico a month later.
WCK provided millions of meals to refugees during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, beginning with those escaping over the Polish border. The meals were made by founder Andres and chefs from neighboring nations such as Romania, Hungary, and Moldova.
This year, WCK responded to the January earthquake that killed over 160 people in Japan and the wildfires that broke out in Chile in February. The Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Zambia, Peru, Cuba, Uganda, The Bahamas, and Cambodia have all reported success with it.
WCK is primarily supported by grants and contributions. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos awarded Andres a $100 million gift in 2021. WCK reported gifts and contributions totaling more than $500 million in 2022.
WCK’s operation in Gaza
WCK was already delivering meals in Rafah, southern Gaza, where about 1.5 million Palestinians who have been displaced are being housed, in collaboration with local cooks. The group also provided assistance to those impacted by the escalating situation in Israel and on the border with Lebanon.
According to the nonprofit, by March it had fed 32 million people in Gaza.
Early in March, WCK sent 200 tons of rice, flour, and other food aid to Open Arms, a Spanish nonprofit organization, whose ship conducted the first-ever test of a maritime supply route from Cyprus to Gaza. 332 tonnes of food sourced by WCK were carried by a second ship that departed Cyprus on Saturday.
Nikos Christodoulides, the president of Cyprus, stated, “We need to double down on efforts to get aid to Gaza.” His nation opened the only maritime passage to carry humanitarian relief into Gaza, and he called WCK a “crucial partner” in this mission.
Theodoros Gotsis, a spokesman for Cyprus’s Foreign Ministry, stated that around 220 tones of help will be returned after 90 tones of supplies were unloaded prior to WCK’s operations being interrupted.