Politics After accusations from Israel: aid organization takes action
The US aid organization World Central Kitchen (WCK) is responding to accusations by Israel against its employees in the Gaza Strip and is dismissing 62 staff members.
11.12.2024, 02:29
11.12.2024, 02:30
SDA
This was announced by the organization on request. At the same time, WCK emphasized that it had not come to the conclusion itself that the people concerned were connected to any terrorist organization. Rather, it was following a request from the Israeli government.
At the end of November, Israel asked the organization to check its employees in the Gaza Strip for possible links to terrorist groups. This request followed an Israeli airstrike on a vehicle belonging to the organization in which, according to the Israeli army, a man who worked for WCK and was allegedly involved as a Hamas fighter in the massacre in Israel in October 2023 was deliberately killed.
WCK said on Tuesday that it had made "the difficult decision to make changes in the Gaza Strip" based on the investigations requested by Israel, including security checks by the Israeli authority responsible for Palestinian affairs, Cogat. However, this does not mean that Israel has any knowledge of the persons concerned having links to a terrorist organization.
Israel does not exchange information with aid organizations, and the basis for Israel's decision to classify these individuals accordingly is not known, the statement continued. The organization has so far given no cause for concern regarding these individuals. However, WCK has no choice but to comply with Israel's request, as otherwise it would have to cease operations in the Gaza Strip - and that is not an option.
