By Mona Austin
Chef Jose Andres’ WCK is Not the Average Aid Organization and It Matters
Charity and ministry based groups have been on the ground in Gaza offering assistance while Kyiv has blocked larger shipments of humanitarian aid. A leader in disaster relief assistance, WCK is different. The Jose Andres founded organization works directly with the U.S. government and was in Gaza formally orchestrating maritime deliveries to feed people. Andres is not buying the IDF's explanation that the attack was misdirected, saying it was systematic.
“We were targeted nonstop until everyone in the convoy was dead. . . Humanitarians and civilians should never pay the consequences of a war,” he stated in a CNN interview. This accusation may carry heavier weight given the relationship Mr. Andres has with the White House and Congress. He is the co-leader of the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition and was in Gaza on official U.S. business that was coordinated with Congress. in light of the tragedy, WCK has ended operations in Gaza.
Biden is angry and outraged and is expected to demand some form of accountability when he speaks to Netanyahu which may involve using the moment to leverage a temporary ceasefire that Israel has ignored in negotiation talks for months.
He may echo the points Pentagon Defense Head Gen. Lloyd Austin articulated to his counterpart Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant on the day prior. Per the Pentagon press release:
"Secretary Austin expressed his outrage at the Israeli strike on a World Central Kitchen humanitarian aid convoy that killed seven aid workers, including an American citizen. Secretary Austin stressed the need to immediately take concrete steps to protect aid workers and Palestinian civilians in Gaza after repeated coordination failures with foreign aid groups. Secretary Austin urged Minister Gallant to conduct a swift and transparent investigation, to share their conclusions publicly, and to hold those responsible to account. Secretary Austin stated that this tragedy reinforced the expressed concern over a potential Israeli military operation in Rafah, specifically focusing on the need to ensure the evacuation of Palestinian civilians and the flow of humanitarian aid."
Minimally, the president is expected to request that his counterpart provides some assurance that there will be protection for aid organizations.
The question remains on whether this will have an impact on U.S. policy in its future relations with Israel.
This treatment of a US-based organization may be a turning point in U.S.-Israel relations regarding the level of support for the Israel-Palestine war.
Sen. Chris Coons of the Foreign Affairs Committee wants an independent review separate from the investigation the IDF will conduct and for the findings to be made public. He said just about all of the major relief organizations that went to Gaza to help distribute food and other forms of aid have pulled out with fear that their workers may be killed.
“This is not only 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 unforgivable,” said World Central Kitchen CEO Erin Gore.
Without any food coming in to the famished area even more Gazans are at risk of starving to death.
This tragedy is unfortunately not the only mishap that has transpired in the course of this war. Various reports indicate that fratricide, or causalities caused by members of the same group, has been frequent since the war started on Oct. 7 of last year. These militaristic errors appear to be harming civilians the most.
Meanwhile, the matter has caused fresh criticism of the on-going sell of weapons to Israe. The U.S. has sold high powered ammunition to their ally while This seems hypocritical to Pro-Palestinian advocates who see weapons sales as the Biden Administration arming Israel to perpetuate violence against the people of Palestine. Sen Elizabeth Warren the veteran Democrat of Massachusetts does not support the sell of additional arms to Israel and will vote against it when the issue is raise in Congress she said.