Celebrity chef José Andrés has called on Israel to open land crossings for aid and stop killing civilians. Andrés is the founder of World Central Kitchen, the international food charity whose seven workers were killed in a series of Israeli strikes late Monday. In an op-ed published by Israel’s mass-selling Yediot Ahronot on Wednesday, Andrés wrote that “the Israeli government needs to open land routes to food and medicine today. It needs to stop killing civilians and aid workers today.” Israel has acknowledged carrying out the strikes by mistake and says it has launched an independent investigation. But Andrés said the strikes, which killed six international aid workers and their Palestinian driver, “were not just some unfortunate mistake in the fog of war.” “It was a direct attack on clearly marked vehicles whose movements were known by the (Israeli military). It was also the direct result of his government’s policy to squeeze humanitarian aid to desperate levels,” Andrés wrote. Andrés said in an emotional interview on Wednesday that an Israeli attack that killed seven of his food aid workers in Gaza had targeted them “systematically, car by car.”
Quick Read
- Call for Humanitarian Access: José Andrés urged Israel to allow land crossings for essential aid and to halt actions resulting in civilian casualties, emphasizing the urgency of providing food and medicine to Gaza.
- Op-Ed Publication: Andrés expressed his concerns in an op-ed for Yediot Ahronot, advocating for a compassionate response from Israel following the recent conflict escalation initiated by Hamas’ attack on October 7.
- Critique of Military Strategy: He criticized the broad impact of Israeli military actions in Gaza, suggesting that a strategy focused on widespread bombardment and restrictions on aid is counterproductive.
- Impact on Aid Operations: Following the airstrike that killed World Central Kitchen workers, Andrés highlighted the challenge of delivering humanitarian aid under current conditions and called for immediate changes to ensure the safety and well-being of Gaza’s population.
- Acknowledgment and Investigation: Israel has recognized the strikes as a mistake and has committed to an independent investigation, a point Andrés acknowledged while questioning the broader implications of the military’s approach to the conflict.
The Associated Press has the story:
José Andrés says Israel targeted his aid workers ‘systematically, car by car’
Newslooks- JERUSALEM — (AP)
Celebrity chef José Andrés has called on Israel to open land crossings for aid and stop killing civilians. Andrés is the founder of World Central Kitchen, the international food charity whose seven workers were killed in a series of Israeli strikes late Monday.
In an op-ed published by Israel’s mass-selling Yediot Ahronot on Wednesday, Andrés wrote that “the Israeli government needs to open land routes to food and medicine today. It needs to stop killing civilians and aid workers today.”
“After the worst terrorist attack in its history, it’s time for the best of Israel to show up,” he wrote, referring to Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack that ignited the war in Gaza. “You cannot save the hostages by bombing every building in Gaza. You cannot win this war by starving an entire population.”
He noted that his charity provides meals to those in need in all over the world, including in Israel after the attack that triggered the war.
Israel has acknowledged carrying out the strikes by mistake and says it has launched an independent investigation.
But Andrés said the strikes, which killed six international aid workers and their Palestinian driver, “were not just some unfortunate mistake in the fog of war.”
“It was a direct attack on clearly marked vehicles whose movements were known by the (Israeli military). It was also the direct result of his government’s policy to squeeze humanitarian aid to desperate levels,” Andrés wrote.
Israel has severely restricted access to northern Gaza, where experts say famine is imminent. Andrés’ charity and other aid groups suspended their operations after the deadly strike, saying it had become too dangerous to operate in Gaza.
Andrés said in an emotional interview on Wednesday that an Israeli attack that killed seven of his food aid workers in Gaza had targeted them “systematically, car by car.”
Andrés said the World Central Kitchen (WCK) charity group he founded had clear communication with the Israeli military, which he said knew his aid workers’ movements.
“This was not just a bad luck situation where ‘oops’ we dropped the bomb in the wrong place,” Andrés said.
