Less than one month after seven volunteers with chef José Andrés’s World Central Kitchen were killed in an Israeli Defense Forces attack in Gaza, where it has distributed hundreds of tons of humanitarian food aid, the organization is resuming operations in the region.
World Central Kitchen, which provides food assistance to people impacted by humanitarian crises, announced that it would return to Gaza in a press release on April 28. “The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains dire. We are restarting our operation with the same energy, dignity, and focus on feeding as many people as possible,” the organization said. “Food is a universal right and our work in Gaza has been the most life-saving mission in our 14-year organizational history.”
WCK paused its operations, which provided more than 60 percent of the available food assistance in the region, following the April 1 attack. In a statement, WCK described the decision to temporarily stop serving food in Gaza as one of the most difficult in its history. “Ultimately, we decided that we must keep feeding, continuing our mission of showing up to provide food to people during the toughest of times,” the organization said.
As it resumes operations, though, the WCK still seeks an independent investigation into the attack. The IDF conducted its own investigation, calling the killings a “grave mistake,” and has insisted that it has “changed [its] rules of operation” to prevent further attacks. “While we have no concrete assurances, we continue to seek answers and advocate for change with the goal of better protecting WCK and all NGO workers serving selflessly in the worst humanitarian conditions,” WCK said in a statement. “Our demand for an impartial and international investigation remains.”
The return of WCK’s food aid to Gaza couldn’t have come at a more crucial time. According to Reuters, the region faces extreme food insecurity and malnutrition that could worsen into famine by mid-summer. Strict restrictions at the borders surrounding Gaza have made it incredibly difficult for trucks filled with food aid and other assistance to enter the region since the conflict began October 7, though the United Nations has indicated that the situation has improved in recent weeks.
Right now, WCK says that it has trucks carrying more than 8 million meals ready to enter the Rafah Crossing in Gaza, where operations on the ground will be led by Palestinians. The organization will also increase its output capacity by building another “high-production” field kitchen, which will allow it to prepare meals on the ground in Gaza. It joins 68 other such kitchens in the region and will be named in honor of volunteer Damian Soból, who was killed in the April 1 attack.
