Israeli army chief says strike that killed 7 aid workers a 'grave mistake'

Biden, other world leaders express outrage and UN chief calls killings unconscionable’

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GAZA - Israel's defence chief said on April 3 that a strike in which seven aid workers in Gaza were killed was a "grave mistake", after the deaths prompted a chorus of inter-

national outrage.

"This incident was a grave mistake," Israel Defence Forces (IDF) chief Herzi Halevi said in a video message after the strike that hit a World Central Kitchen (WCK) convoy delivering aid on April 1.

"It shouldn't have happened," he said, as he blamed the strike on a night-time "misidentification".

"We are sorry for the unintentional harm to the members of WCK." The bodies of the six international workers killed in the strike were expected to be transported out of Gaza through the Rafah crossing with Egypt on April 3.

Agence France-Presse TV footage from the scene showed the punctured roof of a vehicle emblazoned with WCK's logo alongside the mangled wreck of other vehicles.

Since the October start of the war, the United States-based charity had been involved in feeding displaced Gazans, and was one of two organisations spearheading the delivery of food aid arriving by sea.

The employees killed had just unloaded "more than 100 tonnes of humanitarian food aid brought to Gaza on the maritime route", WCK said.

The attack, which killed Australian, British, Palestinian, Polish and US-Canadian staff, was widely

condemned, with world leaders demanding an investigation.

In a strongly worded statement, US President Joe Biden voiced strong criticism of Israel. "Incidents like yesterday's simply should not happen. Israel has also not done enough to protect civilians," he said.

Mr Biden said he was "outraged and heartbroken" by the deaths and called for a swift investigation to bring accountability to what he said was not a "stand-alone incident".