Five people have reportedly been killed in an air strike in Gaza that Israel said was targeting someone who took part in the 7 October attacks.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the target of the strike also worked at the charity World Central Kitchen (WCK).
WCK said it was “heartbroken to share” that a vehicle carrying members of its staff had been hit and that it was seeking more details, though added that it had “no knowledge” that anyone in the car had ties to the 7 October attacks.
The strike occurred in the city of Khan Younis in southern Gaza on Saturday, according to Palestinian state-run news agency Wafa.
Pictures circulating on social media showed a white saloon car by the side of a road, partially burned-out and with its roof caved in.
Video filmed inside a mortuary also showed a number of charred possessions – including a laptop, clothing, and and ID badge – bearing the WCK logo.
Palestinian news agency Wafa reported that the five people killed were all Palestinian and that three were WCK employees, including the director of WCK’s kitchens in Gaza.
In a statement, the IDF said it had “struck a vehicle [carrying] a terrorist that took part in the murderous 7 October massacre”.
It said the man had taken part in an attack on the kibbutz of Nir Oz, though added that it was “not possible to link the terrorist to a specific abduction attempt”.
“The terrorist was monitored for a while by IDF intelligence and was struck following credible information regarding his real time location,” it said.
It said the strike was on a “civilian unmarked vehicle” whose movement had “not been coordinated for transporting aid”.
It went on to demand “clarifications and an urgent investigation” from WCK and the international community “regarding the hiring of workers who took part in… terrorist activity against Israel”.
The statement from WCK said it was “heartbroken to share that a vehicle carrying World Central Kitchen colleagues was hit by an Israeli airstrike in Gaza”.
“At this time, we are working with incomplete information and are urgently seeking more details,” it said.
“World Central Kitchen had no knowledge that any individual in the vehicle had alleged ties to the October 7th Hamas attack”.
It added that it would be pausing its work in Gaza.
“Our hearts are with our colleagues and their families in this unimaginable moment,” it said.
In April, seven WCK workers, including three British security staff, were killed in an Israeli strike on an aid convoy, prompting widespread condemnation and a temporary halt to the charity’s operations.
The IDF later admitted “grave mistakes” had been made and sacked two senior officers.
