Israel’s war on Gaza updates: Aid workers killed amid ‘man-made famine’
‘Indiscriminate killing’ of Gaza aid workers condemned worldwide as Israel says it launched an immediate ‘high-level’ investigation.
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- International condemnation and calls for an urgent investigation are mounting after an Israeli air attack killed seven aid workers – six foreign nationals and a Palestinian – in Gaza.
- US-based aid group World Central Kitchen says the foreign aid workers killed in the “targeted Israeli strike” were nationals from Australia, Poland and the UK, as well as a US-Canadian citizen. Netanyahu has admitted the Israeli army was responsible for the strike.
- Iran has promised revenge after an Israeli attack on its consulate building in Syria’s Damascus killed several people, including top military commanders.
- At least 32,916 Palestinians have been killed and 75,494 wounded in Israeli attacks on Gaza since October 7. The death toll in Israel from Hamas’s October 7 attack stands at 1,139, with dozens still held captive.
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A look at what happened today
We will be closing this live page soon. Here’s a quick recap of today:
- International outcry and calls for an urgent investigation continue to mount after an Israeli air attack killed seven aid workers – six foreign nationals and a Palestinian – in Gaza.
- Police have clashed with protesters in Israel as hundreds marched towards Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s residence in Jerusalem.
- The UN Security Council held an emergency meeting over a strike that hit Iran’s consulate in Syria’s Damascus, with Tehran demanding condemnation of the attack from the UN.
- Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has called for a “repeal” of the newly adopted Israeli law that paves the way for a ban on Al Jazeera and other foreign news networks.
- A new report released by the World Bank and the UN said damage to Gaza’s infrastructure is estimated at $18.5bn.
Family of Australian aid worker mourning ‘brave and beloved’ Zomi
The family of Zomi Frankcom – the Australian aid worker killed by Israeli forces in Gaza – have shared a statement saying they are “deeply mourning the news that our brave and beloved Zomi has been killed doing the work she loves”.
The Frankcom family described Zomi as “a kind, selfless and outstanding human being” who had travelled the world “helping others in their time of need”.
“She will leave behind a legacy of compassion, bravery and love for all those in her orbit,” her family said.
Israeli army chief says aid workers were not intentionally attacked
Herzi Halevi, the chief of staff of Israel’s armed forces, said several air strikes on an aid convoy operated by World Central Kitchen, which killed seven aid workers, were a “grave mistake”.
He said that a preliminary review of the incident showed that the strikes were not carried out with the intention of killing aid workers but resulted from a “misidentification” of the vehicles in the aid convoy in complex conditions, at night.
An investigation by Al Jazeera, based on open-source information, witness testimonies and images from the site, found that the attacks were carried out intentionally.
WATCH: Blinken urges Israel to investigate killing of the aid workers
The US secretary of state has joined global calls for accountability from Israel after its army the workers of the food aid NGO World Central Kitchen.
Listen to his comments and find out more about the attack that killed seven people in Deir el-Balah:
Australian PM registers discontent with Netanyahu after aid worker’s death
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese expressed his “anger” to his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu, calling for accountability after an Australian aid worker and six others were killed in an Israeli strike in Gaza yesterday.
Albanese said he spoke to Netanyahu by phone, raising his “anger and concern” over the death of Australian national Lalzawmi “Zomi” Frankcom.
Frankcom was working for the NGO World Central Kitchen when one of its aid convoys was attacked by the Israeli army in central Gaza.
US military confirms new aid airdrop over northern Gaza
The US army’s Central Command (CENTCOM) says it completed another airdrop of aid over northern Gaza, which is teetering on the brink of famine.
The US military said it used four C-130 military cargo aircraft to drop more than 50,680 meal equivalents into the northern part of the Strip and promised that the much-criticised airdrop plan will continue.
The military said earlier this week that some of its bundles had been dropped into the sea but that there were no casualties. It came shortly after at least a dozen Palestinians drowned trying to recover bundles from the sea to try to feed their families.
April 2 CENTCOM Conducts Humanitarian Airdrops into Gaza
U.S. Central Command conducted an airdrop of humanitarian assistance into Northern Gaza on April 2, 2024, at 1:23 p.m. (Gaza time) to provide essential relief to civilians affected by the ongoing conflict.
The joint… pic.twitter.com/kBL3OQckvF
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) April 2, 2024
Police clash with protesters in Israel as hundreds march towards Netanyahu’s residence
Israeli police say hundreds of protesters attempted to break through barricades near Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s residence in Jerusalem.
The rally “turned into unrestrained disorder and riot in the street” in the last couple of hours, Israeli police said in a post on X.
Police officers prevented protesters from approaching closer to the residence, they said, and used “riot control measures to disperse” the demonstrators.
Five protesters were arrested for “violating public order”, the police said.
Antigovernment protests have been taking place for several months. Many rallies are led by families of captives who were taken by Hamas on October 7.
Blinken meets with French president
The US secretary of state has met with Emmanuel Macron, he says in a post on X.
Among other topics discussed by the pair was the “need to increase aid in Gaza”.
The US and France were among the many nations and prominent NGOs today to condemn an Israeli attack on an aid convoy, which killed seven humanitarian workers and their Palestinian driver in Deir el-Bala, central Gaza.
The U.S. and France have been friends and partners since the very founding of our country.
Today I met with President @EmmanuelMacron to reaffirm the strong ties between our countries and peoples. We also discussed our support for Ukraine and the need to increase aid in Gaza. pic.twitter.com/yNktqKXKuu
— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) April 2, 2024
Renewed protests in Jordan’s capital
Video verified by Al Jazeera shows protesters again coming to the streets in Amman in support of Palestinians in Gaza, a near-daily occurrence over the last week.
The protesters routinely march towards the Israeli Embassy in the capital and have been met with residence and crackdown by police. Demonstrators often call for a cancellation of Jordan’s peace treaty with Israel and for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Translation: For the tenth day in a row, the Jordanian people go out in demonstrations of the siege of the embassy and chant: Wadi Araba is not peace… Wadi Araba is surrender.
WATCH: Why is Israel targeting Al Jazeera?
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has promised to take Al Jazeera off the air in Israel.
Calling it a “terror channel”, he accused the network of harming Israel’s national security and actively participating in the October 7 attack.
Al Jazeera says the accusations are slanderous, and jeopardise the rights and safety of its employees worldwide. Rights groups are alarmed and warn Israel is trying to censor coverage of the war in Gaza.
But this isn’t the first time Israel has targeted Al Jazeera or its journalists.
So how will this ban impact its coverage? And what are the wider implications for the broadcaster?
Watch Inside Story to hear the opinions of our panel of experts:
Syria UN envoy slams Israel for ‘yet another attack’ on his country
Koussay Aldahhak, Syria’s UN ambassador, says the strike against Iran’s consulate in Damascus is “yet another episode in a string of Israeli attacks against” Syria.
Israel has launched several missile strikes on Syria’s two main airports in Damascus and the northern city of Aleppo since October 7. It has also launched attacks it said was targeted at Iranian military positions in Syria.
Speaking at the UN Security Council, Aldahhak said Israel “in broad daylight” targeted the Iranian consulate in Damascus yesterday.
The “barbaric aggression” led to the destruction of the entire premises and resulted in the injury of all those inside, he said.
The area is crossed by “thousands of civilians on a daily basis”, he added.
“The targeted Iranian consulate building is located in a densely populated area. It’s full of civilians and is just a few kilometres away from foreign, diplomatic missions, and international organisations including the [World Food Programme],” Aldahhak said.
Iran demands condemnation from UN of attacks on consulate in Syria
Zahra Ershadi, Iranian ambassador to the UN, condemned the “heinous and terrorist attacks” on Iran’s personnel in Syria, calling them “yet another flagrant violation of International law” by Israel.
“The final and accurate death toll remains uncertain as the entire diplomatic premise has been destroyed with individuals trapped under the rubble,” she said.
Ershadi confirmed that at least seven Iranian officials were killed.
UK ‘deeply concerned’ for potential escalation in the region
James Kariuki, Britain’s deputy ambassador to the UN, says the “safety and security” of diplomatic premises and staff is a “fundamental principal, guiding diplomatic relations”.
Speaking at the UN Security Council, Kariuki said his country stresses the “importance of respect for the inviolability of diplomatic premises” and staff, after the strike on Iran’s consulate in Damascus yesterday.
However, Iran’s “will in destabilising the region” through its support to groups which have been “conducting and threatening attacks, is unacceptable”, he said.
“Amongst the groups … are Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah, [and] militias in Syria and Iraq and Houthis,” Kariuki said.
He ended his remarks by saying the UK has been “long calling” for a humanitarian pause in Gaza, and that his country is “deeply concerned” about the potential for escalation in the region.
US envoy to UN says his country was not involved in attack on Iranian consulate
Robert Wood has told the UN Security Council that “the United States had no involvement” in the attack on the Iranian consulate in Syria yesterday, neither did it “know about it ahead of time”. Wood says the US communicated this to Iran.
The US refused to confirm Israel’s involvement in the bombing.
Wood did say that “Iran and its proxy and partner groups need to avoid escalating tensions in the region”.
He went on to accuse Iran of doing just that, using Israel’s war on Gaza as cover to wage a proxy war on Israel and “other actors”.
Wood cited Iran-aligned Lebanese group Hezbollah’s exchanges of fire with the Israeli army, ongoing since last October. He would not confirm that the building that was struck yesterday was a diplomatic consulate, but said that if true, it would be “concerning” to the US. He closed his speech by condemning Israel’s attack on World Central Kitchen personnel in Gaza, saying that it is “unacceptable” that Israeli army deconfliction methods with humanitarian workers are not functioning this far along into the war in Gaza.
Sharp criticism of Israel from Russia at UN Security Council
Vasily Nebenzia, Russia’s UN envoy, says that his country called this meeting of the council to discuss the “incessant bomb and missile attacks by the [Israeli military] targeting various sites in Syria, against the backdrop of the unprecedented scale of casualties” incurred during Israel’s war on Gaza.
The Russian envoy noted that Israel’s military operation continues in Gaza “despite the demand of UN Security resolution 2728”, which calls for a ceasefire.
Nebenzia slammed Israel’s “blatant disregard” for the decision of the council, citing as an example the attack by the Israeli army on World Central Kitchen personnel.
He also condemned “in the strongest terms” Israel’s attack on the Iranian consulate in Syria.
Israeli president apologises to founder of World Central Kitchen
After an Israeli attack killed seven people working for the World Central Kitchen (WCK) aid group in Gaza, Israeli President Isaac Herzog “expressed his deep sorrow and sincere apologies” during a phone call with the Spanish-American chef and founder of the NGO, Jose Andres.
In a post on X, the Israeli president’s office said Herzog apologised for “the tragic loss of life of WCK staff” and said he sent his “condolences” to their families and loved ones.
“The President reiterated Israel’s commitment to ensuring a thorough investigation of the tragedy,” his office said.
The statement comes following widespread international condemnation of the incident, and after calls for a thorough and transparent probe.
President @Isaac_Herzog initiated a telephone call with @WCKitchen founder, @chefjoseandres.
President Herzog expressed his deep sorrow and sincere apologies over the tragic loss of life of WCK staff in the Gaza Strip last night, and sent his condolences to their families and…
— Office of the President of Israel (@IsraelPresident) April 2, 2024
UN Security Council meets on Iranian consulate attack in Syria
The UN’s Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific Khaled Khiari has briefed the council on the UN’s assessment of yesterday’s attack on the Iranian consulate in Syria by the Israeli army.
He reiterated UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’s condemnation of the attack, saying “The inviolability of diplomatic and consular presmesis and personnel must be respected in all cases in accordance with international law.”
Khiari also mentioned at least a dozen attacks on Iranian personnel inside Syria since the beginning of this year – attacks that, while not claimed by Israel, could be attributed to the country. He said that the continuation of these attacks adds to regional “escalation” and “undermines international peace and security”.
Israeli forces deliberately hit aid workers convoy, Al Jazeera concludes
An investigation by Al Jazeera’s Sanad Verification Agency has found that the Israeli army attacks that killed seven people in a World Central Kitchen (WCK) aid convoy were intentional.
Based on open-source information, witness testimonies, and images from the site, a chronological and geographical timeline of the events was constructed.
Read the full investigation here.
Israel’s plan to ban Al Jazeera ‘unprecedented censorship’, RSF says
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is calling for a “repeal” of the newly adopted Israeli law that paves the way for a ban on Al Jazeera and other foreign news networks.
In a statement, RSF said the new law “above all targets Al Jazeera”.
“Israel is using every possible method to try to silence Al Jazeera for its coverage of the reality of the fate of Palestinians” in the occupied West Bank and Gaza since October 7, Jonathan Dagher, the head of RSF’s Middle East desk, said.
The group said Israel has killed at least 103 journalists in Gaza – at least three worked for the Doha-based network.
“Israel already inflicted terrible losses on Al Jazeera before 7 October,” it added, referring to the killing of veteran Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh by Israeli forces in May 2022.
#Israel: RSF calls for the repeal of the law passed by the Knesset on 01/04 banning the broadcasting of certain foreign media, which targets @AlJazeera. This censorship of one of the last international media that can report from Gaza is unacceptable.👇https://t.co/GuKXxqpPBP
— RSF (@RSF_inter) April 2, 2024
Israel’s killing of aid workers comes as Gaza suffers ‘man made famine’
We’ve been reporting all day on an Israeli attack that killed seven people working with the United States-based NGO World Central Kitchen in the Gaza Strip.
This attack is only the latest by the Israeli army on humanitarian workers and the aid they labour to distribute, and throughout its war on Gaza it has been accused by governments, the UN and major NGOs of deliberately blocking aid at the borders of the besieged enclave.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that the deaths World Central Kitchen staff brings the number of aid workers killed in Gaza since October 7 to 196.
A recent feature of Israel’s war has been attacks on Palestinians seeking aid, specifically in north Gaza, which have killed dozens and wounded hundreds, including members of a committee of local tribal officials who were organising the distribution of aid and were in contact with the Israeli army.
Under these harsh restrictions and constant attacks, Gaza is teetering on the brink of famine, and nowhere is the situation more serious than in northern Gaza, according to a recent UN-backed report issued last month by the world’s hunger monitor, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC).
As Philippe Lazzarini, director of the UN’s Palestinian refugee agency, puts it, this famine in Gaza is entirely “man made”, and requires “a complete reversal in policies from the Israeli Government”. The consensus of world humanitarian organisations, including Lazzarini’s, is that all of the Gaza Strip’s border crossings need to be opened to allow through the thousands of aid trucks waiting, and an immediate ceasefire is required to prevent what could be the worst humanitarian disaster of this already catastrophic war.
It is a huge challenge to reverse a man made famine in #Gaza in the absence of a political will.
The killing of humanitarian workers yesterday and the denial of @UNRWA to join convoys to the north, including to Al Shifa Hospital today, require a complete reversal in policies…
— Philippe Lazzarini (@UNLazzarini) April 2, 2024
No evidence Israel hit aid workers deliberately: White House
The United States is “outraged” over the attack that killed seven World Central Kitchen aid workers – one of them a US citizen – in Gaza, White House spokesman John Kirby has said.
“We were outraged to learn of an [Israeli military] strike that killed a number of civilian humanitarian workers yesterday from the World Central Kitchen,” Kirby said.
But the White House said there is no evidence that Israel struck the aid workers deliberately, despite the fact that a full Israeli investigation is still pending.
‘This is unconscionable’: UN chief
The secretary-general of the UN has said that the “devastating Israeli airstrikes that killed World Central Kitchen personnel yesterday bring the number of aid workers killed in this conflict to 196”.
This includes more than 175 members of UN staff.
“This is unconscionable,” Antonio Guterres said in a post on X.
UAE pauses aid to Gaza by sea after Israeli strike kills aid workers: Report
The United Arab Emirates is pausing humanitarian aid efforts through a maritime corridor from Cyprus to Gaza pending further safety guarantees from Israel and a full investigation into the deaths of aid workers in Gaza, a UAE official has told Reuters.
An Israeli attack killed seven people working for the World Central Kitchen aid group in Gaza.
The UAE has financed the aid shipments by sea to Gaza and WCK has organised them.
A UAE foreign ministry statement condemned the deaths of the aid workers and called for an “urgent, independent and transparent investigation.” The UAE said it holds Israel responsible.
Iran’s FM tells Guterres UNSC must condemn attack on consulate
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said he discussed with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres Israel’s attack on Iran’s consulate in Damascus during a phone call.
In a post on the X, Amir-Abdollahian said he demanded an “appropriate and clear response” from the UN Security Council to the “terrorist attack”, and stressed that the responsibility for “maintaining international peace and security lies” with UNSC.