Celebrity chef José Andrés, founder of World Central Kitchen (WCK), has called on Israel to take responsibility for protecting humanitarian aid workers in Gaza, following the killing of seven WCK employees in an Israeli airstrike on April 1.
In a Washington Post op-ed, Andrés announced that WCK will resume aid trips to Gaza, despite the risks, due to the overwhelming need for food and basic human rights. WCK has 267 trucks loaded with 8 million meals ready to enter Gaza, and is also sending trucks from Jordan to address northern Gaza.
World Central Kitchen (Credits: The Times of Israel)
Andrés memorialized the seven employees killed at a service at the Washington National Cathedral last week. He expressed frustration that the Israeli military has not provided adequate protection for humanitarian aid workers, despite promises to do so.
Andrés expects the Israeli military to develop and communicate clear safety protocols for aid workers and to cooperate with an independent investigation into the airstrikes that killed the WCK employees.
José Andrés (Credits: FOX40)
Andrés also called on the Biden administration to hold the Netanyahu government accountable for its commitments on humanitarian aid. He emphasized that food is a universal human right and that WCK will not cease its efforts until basic human rights are respected.
Despite the challenges and risks, Andrés believes that returning to Gaza is both the hardest and easiest decision to make, due to the urgent need for food and aid.
