Fuming Rishi Sunak warns disaster in Gaza is changing into ‘insupportable’ after help staff killed | Politics | News | EUROtoday

A former Royal Marine and an ex-special forces hero have been amongst three Britons killed in an Israeli drone strike in Gaza.

James Henderson, 33 was a part of a crew of World Central Kitchen help staff travelling in a convoy of automobiles in Deir Balah, central Gaza, on Monday evening.

Another two British nationals – one believed to be a particular forces veteran and one other a former British Army soldier – an Australian citizen described as a “shining star” – Lalzawmi ‘Zomi’ Frankcom – a Polish man – Damian Sobol – who additionally helped Ukrainian refugees in Poland – Palestinian driver Saif Abu Taha and American Jacob Flickinger, have been all killed.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has warned Israel the humanitarian disaster is changing into “increasingly intolerable”.

And he advised Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu “far too many” help staff have been killed.

Following a name on Tuesday evening, a Downing Street spokesperson mentioned: ““The Prime Minister spoke to Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this evening.

“He said he was appalled by the killing of aid workers, including three British nationals, in an airstrike in Gaza yesterday and demanded a thorough and transparent independent investigation into what happened.

“The Prime Minister said far too many aid workers and ordinary civilians have lost their lives in Gaza and the situation is increasingly intolerable. The UK expects to see immediate action by Israel to end restrictions on humanitarian aid, deconflict with the UN and aid agencies, protect civilians and repair vital infrastructure like hospitals and water networks.

“The Prime Minister reiterated that Israel’s rightful aim of defeating Hamas would not be achieved by allowing a humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.”

But Mr Netanyahu – as fury over the strikes mounted final evening – mentioned the convoy was hit “unintentionally”.

A detailed good friend of Mr Henderson mentioned final evening: “Everybody is gutted. He was a lovely lad. 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.”

Mr Henderson was a member of the Royal Marines for six years.

After leaving the army in 2016, he labored a collection of shut private safety jobs earlier than volunteering to work with WCK.

Another of the three Brits killed had beforehand labored for the Special Boat Service (SBS), a particular forces unit of the British Royal Navy.

And sources advised the Daily Express the third Brit killed within the devastating strikes had beforehand served within the British Army.

Harrowing photos present how a missile smashed via the World Central Kitchen emblem emblazoned on the roof of one of many autos.

The charity mentioned two of the automobiles have been armoured whereas the third had a “soft skin”. The route, World Central Kitchen mentioned, had been coordinated with the Israel Defence Forces.

The first automobile is known to have been struck in a drone strike on Gaza’s coastal highway, the Al Rashid, after leaving the Deir al-Balah warehouse, the place the crew had unloaded greater than 100 tons of humanitarian meals help dropped at Gaza by ship.

The second automobile was then hit 800 metres to the south and the third automobile was hit roughly one-mile south-west from the primary automobile.

This is believed to have been the unarmoured automobile because it sustained essentially the most injury, the rear of the automobile utterly destroyed, the steel twisted, and home windows blown out by the power of the missile strike.

Some of these travelling within the first automobile tried to get right into a second automobile, which was then additionally hit. A 3rd automobile approached the stricken second automobile and wounded have been being ferried into it earlier than that automobile too was hit by a missile.

All three automobiles have been struck in a “deconflicted zone” and the WCK confirmed it was pausing all operations in war-torn Gaza.

Some of the bloodied our bodies have been lifted into physique luggage while nonetheless sporting their physique armour emblazoned with the emblem of the World Central Kitchen.

The Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) mentioned the operation to get well the seven our bodies took “several hours”.

A spokesperson mentioned in a press release: “In a challenging operation spanning several hours, teams from the Palestinian Red Crescent Society successfully recovered the bodies of the seven World Central Kitchen employees this morning.

“They have been focused by Israeli occupation forces yesterday night whereas travelling in autos owned by the kitchen in Deir al-Balah, within the central Gaza Strip.

“Two of the bodies were initially missing, but were later located and retrieved by the PRCS teams.

“Subsequently, all seven our bodies have been transported to the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah after which to Abu Yousef al-Najjar Hospital in preparation for his or her evacuation via the Rafah border crossing.”

WCK chief executive Erin Gore said: “This will not be solely an assault towards WCK, that is an assault on humanitarian organisations displaying up in essentially the most dire of conditions the place meals is getting used as a weapon of conflict. This is unforgivable.

“I am heartbroken and appalled that we, World Central Kitchen and the world, lost beautiful lives today because of a targeted attack by the IDF.”

Lord Cameron declared the deaths have been “deeply disturbing” and demanded “urgent changes” to guard help staff in Gaza.

Foreign Office minister Andrew Mitchell added: “Today, I summoned the Ambassador of the Israeli Embassy in London to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.

“I set out the government’s unequivocal condemnation of the appalling killing of 7 World Central Kitchen aid workers, including 3 British nationals. I requested a quick and transparent investigation, shared with the international community, and full accountability.

“I reiterated the need for Israel to put in place an effective deconfliction mechanism immediately and urgently to scale up humanitarian access. We need to see an immediate humanitarian pause, to get aid in and the hostages out, then progress towards a sustainable ceasefire.”

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak additionally joined requires a radical probe into the horrific incident, saying he’s “shocked and saddened” by the loss of life of a British help employee in Gaza, and that there are “clearly there are questions that need to be answered”.

He mentioned: “We’re urgently working to substantiate all the main points, my ideas proper now are with their family and friends. They’re doing improbable work bringing alleviation to the struggling that many are experiencing in Gaza.

“They should be praised and commended for what they’re doing. They need to be allowed to do that work unhindered and it’s incumbent on Israel to make sure they can do that.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu admitted “innocent people” had been killed within the “unintentional” airstrike.

He mentioned: “It happens in war, we check it to the end, we are in contact with the governments, and we will do everything so that this thing does not happen again.”

Mr Sobol, 35, began volunteering with WCK within the border city of Przemysl at the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine the place he was serving to feed refugees.

He joined WCK’s response to the earthquakes in Turkey. More not too long ago he began working for WCK in Gaza.

Nate Mook, the previous chief government of WCK who first employed Ms Frankcom, described her as a “shining star” and “gift to the world” who had devoted her life to serving to folks. “The news of her death, the killing of seven members of the World Central Kitchen is devastating for their families, friends and the world,” he advised The Independent.

“It is unfathomable that they are not with us any more. They were all truly dedicated to their work, trying to do what they could in the most desperate and dangerous of situations.”