British aid workers killed in Gaza named as UK demands investigation into Israeli strike

James Kirby, John Chapman and James Henderson among seven dead after attack on humanitarian convoy

Relatives and friends mourn Saif Abu Taha, a worker with World Central Kitchen who was killed when Israeli strikes hit the NGO's vehicles in Gaza, during his funeral in Rafah. AFP

The wreckage of a car used by aid group World Central Kitchen that was hit by an Israeli strike in Deir Al Balah, central Gaza. AFP

World Central Kitchen workers gather around the bodies of their colleagues after they were transferred to Al Najjar Hospital in Rafah, southern Gaza. EPA

United Nations staff members inspect one of the World Central Kitchen vehicles hit by the deadly Israeli strike. AFP

World Central Kitchen suspended operations in Gaza after seven of its staff were killed in the Israeli air strike. Reuters

People stand near a destroyed car of the NGO World Central Kitchen (WCK) along Al Rashid road, between Deir Al Balah and Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, 02 April 2024. According to the Palestinian Red Crescent, at least four people from the NGO World Central Kitchen (WCK) were killed when a missile hit their convoy in Deir al Balah while they were on their way from Rafah to Gaza City to receive fresh aid delivered by the Open Arms vessel. The victims were confirmed to be a British, a Polish and an Australian citizen, while the nationality of the fourth victim was still unknown. EPA / MOHAMMED SABER

The group's car was hit after leaving a warehouse in Deir Al Balah, despite co-ordinating its movements with the Israeli military. EPA

The Israeli military said it was conducting a thorough review at the highest levels to understand the circumstances of this 'tragic' incident. Reuters

Clothes of members of the NGO are seen inside their destroyed car on Al Rashid road in the Gaza Strip. EPA

Australian Lalzawmi Frankcom, left, was among the WCK employees killed in the strike. Reuters

The uniform of a woman WCK employee who was killed in Israeli air strike in Deir Al Balah. EPA

Employees of World Central Kitchen mourn after their colleagues were killed in the Israeli air strike. Reuters

A man displays blood-stained British, Polish, and Australian passports after the Israeli air strike that killed WCK workers, including foreigners, in Deir Al Balah. AP

A World Central Kitchen barge loaded with food arrives off the Gaza coast, where there is risk of famine after five months of Israel's military campaign. Reuters

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UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he was appalled by the killing of seven aid workers, including three British citizens, in an Israeli air strike in Gaza and demanded "a thorough and transparent independent investigation" into the incident.

Mr Sunak made the comments during a call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday, adding that "far too many aid workers and ordinary civilians have lost their lives in Gaza and the situation is increasingly intolerable".

King Charles III has asked for specific updates about the strike, which killed seven members of a team from World Central Kitchen, a source told The National on Tuesday.

The workers were killed on Monday evening as they travelled in a convoy through a non-combat zone in Gaza. They were travelling in armoured vehicles branded with the logo of the aid organisation.

The group was hit while leaving a warehouse in Deir Al Balah, despite co-ordinating their movements with the Israeli military, the organisation said.

The convoy was struck by three missiles fired one after the other, Israeli outlet Haaretz reported.

Footage showed the bodies, several wearing protective gear bearing the charity’s logo, at a hospital in Deir Al Balah. The BBC named the British victims as James Kirby, John Chapman and former Royal Marine James Henderson.

"Everybody is gutted, he was a lovely lad," a close friend of Mr Henderson told The Daily Mail. "He hadn't been out there long, only a couple of weeks. The group he was working for broke the news to the family this morning."

Others killed in the strike include Australian national Lalzawmi Frankcom, Polish national Damian Sobol and Palestinian Saif Issam Abu Taha. The US-Canadian dual national has not been named.

Seven aid workers killed in Israeli air strike on Gaza - video

Mr Netanyahu responded to the strike in a video, saying: "Unfortunately in the past day there was a tragic event in which our forces unintentionally harmed non-combatants in the Gaza Strip."

He said "this happens in war" and that Israel was conducting an investigation. "We will do everything to prevent a recurrence," he said.

Israeli military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said officials reviewed the incident "at the highest levels” and said he had spoken to WCK founder, celebrity chef Jose Andres, to express his condolences.

“We will be opening a probe to examine this serious incident further,” Admiral Hagari said. “This will help us reduce the risk of such an event occurring again.”

Britain summoned the Israeli ambassador over the incident, the Foreign Ministry said.

"I set out the government's unequivocal condemnation of the appalling killing of seven World Central Kitchen aid workers, including three British nationals," said Andrew Mitchell, the UK's Minister of State for Development and Africa.

"I requested a quick and transparent investigation, shared with the international community, and full accountability."

UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron said in a post on X that he had spoken with Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz to emphasise the aid worker deaths were "completely unacceptable".

"Israel must urgently explain how this happened and make major changes to ensure safety of aid workers on the ground," Lord Cameron said.

The leader of the opposition Labour Party, Keir Starmer, described the Israeli strike as “outrageous and unacceptable”.

“Our thoughts are with the families of all of those killed. We condemn this strike," he added. "There must be a full investigation and those responsible must be held to account.

“This war must stop now. Far too many innocent people have died in this conflict and more than a million are facing starvation. Labour repeats our call for an immediate ceasefire, the immediate release of all hostages and full humanitarian access into Gaza.”

World Central Kitchen has played a key role in getting food into Gaza to help tackle the growing humanitarian disaster in the enclave.

Mr Andres said he was heartbroken by the deaths. “The Israeli government needs to stop this indiscriminate killing,” he said. “It needs to stop restricting humanitarian aid, stop killing civilians and aid workers, and stop using food as a weapon."

WCK staff, along with thousands of volunteers and contractors, responded to disasters in nearly 20 countries last year.

The organisation has fed war victims in Ukraine, delivered meal kits to earthquake survivors in Syria and Turkey, and worked with aid groups in Gaza, Israel and nearby countries to feed victims of the war and the families of hostages.

WCK said on its website that its teams had set up a field kitchen in Rafah and created a network of community kitchens across Gaza. It has suspended its operations after the Israeli strike.