Bodies of 6 slain foreign aid workers moved out of Gaza

People inspect the site where World Central Kitchen workers were killed in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, Tuesday, April 2, 2024. World Central Kitchen, an aid group, says an Israeli strike that hit its workers in Gaza killed at least seven people, including several foreigners. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

RAFAH, Gaza Strip — The bodies of six foreign aid workers killed in Israeli airstrikes began the journey back to their home countries Wednesday.

This development comes as more questions swirled over Israel’s explanation that a “misidentification” led to the attack on their convoy.

The deadly strikes renewed criticism of Israel’s conduct in the nearly six-month-old war with Hamas and highlighted the risks that the military’s bombardment poses to aid workers as they try to deliver food to the besieged enclave. The United Nations said nearly a third of the Gaza population is on the brink of starvation.

READ: ‘Several’ aid workers killed in Israeli strike in Gaza, says NGO leader

The three British citizens, a Polish citizen, an Australian, and a Canadian American dual citizen worked for World Central Kitchen, an international charity founded by celebrity chef José Andrés. Their Palestinian driver was also killed, and his remains were handed over to his family for burial in Gaza.

The other bodies were driven into Egypt through the Rafah crossing, according to the Palestinian Crossings Authority, which oversees border crossings.

The seven were distributing food that had been brought into Gaza through a newly established maritime corridor when Israeli airstrikes targeted their three vehicles late Monday, killing everyone inside.

Israel’s military chief, Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, announced the results of a preliminary investigation.

“It was a mistake that followed a misidentification – at night during a war in very complex conditions. It shouldn’t have happened.” He gave no further details. He said an independent body would complete a “thorough investigation” in the coming days.

Andrés said the strikes “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, Andrés wrote in an op-ed published Wednesday by Israel’s Yediot Ahronot newspaper. “It was also the direct result of (the Israeli) government’s policy to squeeze humanitarian aid to desperate levels.”

READ: Aid group halts food delivery in Gaza after Israeli strike kills 7 workers

A man displays blood-stained British, Polish, and Australian passports after an Israeli airstrike, in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, Monday, April 1, 2024. Gaza medical officials say an apparent Israeli airstrike killed four international aid workers with the World Central Kitchen charity and their Palestinian driver after they helped deliver food and other supplies to northern Gaza that had arrived hours earlier by ship. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

World Central Kitchen said it had coordinated its movements with the military, and the vehicles were marked with the organization’s logo.

Andres, a Spanish-American chef whose organization has provided aid in war and disaster zones all over the world, including to Israelis after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack that triggered the war, 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.”

Spain’s prime minister, Pedreo Sanchez, said Israel’s explanation so far was “absolutely unacceptable and insufficient” and called for “much more detailed clarification of what happened.” He spoke at a joint news conference in Doha with his Qatari counterpart. Qatar has played a key role in efforts to mediate a cease-fire, along with the United States and Egypt.

Some of Israel’s closest allies condemned the deaths, which led the World Central Kitchen and other charities to suspend food deliveries, citing the dire security situation.

Israeli officials have not elaborated on the nature of the mistake.