Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron has described the deaths of three British aid workers who were killed in an Israeli air strike in the Gaza Strip as “dreadful.”
Arriving at a NATO meeting in Brussels, the former prime minister said: “The dreadful events of the last two days are a moment when we should mourn the loss of these brave humanitarian workers, including the three British citizens that tragically were killed.
“Seven people who worked for the charity World Central Kitchen [WCK] were killed on Tuesday and the British victims have been named as John Chapman, 57, Jim Henderson, 33, and James Kirby, 47, who were working for WCK’s security team.”
The four others who died were Lalzawmi Frankcom, 43, an Australian national; Jacob Flickinger, 33, a dual U.S.–Canadian citizen; Polish national Damian Sobol, 35; and Saifeddin Issam Ayad Abutaha, 25, who was Palestinian.
The WCK convoy was hit as it left a warehouse at Deir al-Balah, after unloading more than 100 tonnes of food aid which had been brought to Gaza by sea.
Victim Was ‘Genuine Gentleman’
The family of James Kirby, who had previously served in British special forces, described him as a “genuine gentleman.”
In a statement to the BBC, the family said, “Alongside the other six individuals who tragically lost their lives, he will be remembered as a hero.”
The statement went on: “James understood the dangers of venturing into Gaza, drawing from his experiences in the British armed forces, where he bravely served tours in Bosnia and Afghanistan.
“Despite the risks, his compassionate nature drove him to offer assistance to those in dire need,” it added.
His family said they were “incredibly proud of who James was and what he achieved.”
Mr. Henderson was a former Royal Marine and Mr. Chapman had reportedly served in the Special Boat Service.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed the deaths had been caused by an “unintended strike” and promised a “thorough and transparent independent investigation.”
A Downing Street spokesman said Prime Minister Rishi Sunak had spoken to Mr. Netanyahu on Tuesday evening.
The spokesman said, “The UK expects to see immediate action by Israel to end restrictions on humanitarian aid, deconflict with the U.N. and aid agencies, protect civilians, and repair vital infrastructure like hospitals and water networks.”
Lib Dems Call for UK to Suspend Arms Sales to Israel
The leader of the Liberal Democrats, Sir Ed Davey, called on the British government to suspend arms sales to Israel.Sir Ed said: “The deaths of these British aid workers in Gaza is an absolute disgrace. These brave people were trying to help starving families in Gaza.”
“Clearly, the thought that British-made arms could have been used in strikes such as these is completely unacceptable,” he added.
Shadow treasury minister Darren Jones said halting arms sales to Israel would not change the course of the conflict.
Mr. Jones told ITV’s “Good Morning Britain”: “The fact of the matter is if the UK, for example, stopped supplying arms, the war would not end. What we need to do is get the parties to a position where the fighting can stop.”
Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, chief of the general staff of the Israel Defence Forces, said the air strike was “a mistake that followed a misidentification, at night during a war in very complex conditions. It shouldn’t have happened.”
He said an independent body would conduct a “thorough investigation” over the next few days.
