Who were the seven aid workers killed in Gaza?

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Lalzawmi “Zomi” Frankcom, who appeared in a World Central Kitchen (WCK) video last week, is one of the confirmed dead
By Hafsa Khalil
BBC News

Seven aid workers from the World Central Kitchen (WCK) have been killed in an Israeli air strike in Gaza, the charity’s founder said on Tuesday.

The victims were British, Polish, Australian, Palestinian and also included a dual US-Canadian citizen, WCK said.

A journalist working for the BBC in Gaza has seen the bodies of three international aid workers and their Palestinian driver, named as Seef abu Taha. The passports of the three showed them to be from Australia, Poland and the UK.

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has acknowledged that the Israeli military hit “innocent people”, describing it as tragic and unintentional.

“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,” he said in a video message.

Here’s what we know about the aid workers killed.

Ms Frankcom died “doing the work she loves”, her family said in a statement.

The aid worker from Melbourne, Australia was described as a “kind, selfless and outstanding human being [who] travelled the world helping others in their time of need”.

“She will leave behind a legacy of compassion, bravery and love for all those in her orbit,” they added.

Last month, WCK posted a video on X of Ms Frankcom at their kitchen in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza, which was newly opened.

Dora Weekley, a friend and former WCK colleague told ABC News that Ms Frankcom was “dedicated”, and someone who made sure people in need had a hot meal to look forward to every day.

Ms Weekley met Ms Frankcom in 2019, when they responded to Hurricane Dorian in the Bahamas and again worked with her during the summer bushfires in Australia.

Damian Sobol

Damian Sobol, left, seen here in Gaza last month

The Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski has confirmed Mr Sobol was killed.

“Our brave compatriot, Mr Damian Sobol from Przemysl helped people in need in Gaza where there is a humanitarian crisis. He was killed during an attack which the Israeli army has accepted responsibility for,” he said in a video message on X. In an earlier post, he said he had personally asked the Israeli ambassador for an “urgent explanation” for the strike.

Polish President Andrzej Duda wrote on X that it was “with deep pain” that he learned about the deaths of the WCK volunteers, including a Polish citizen.

“These brave people changed the world for the better with their service and dedication to others. This tragedy should never have happened and must be explained,” he said.

Mr Sobol, from Przemysl in south-eastern Poland, was originally identified by the city’s mayor in a Facebook post.

Wojciech Bakun called Mr Sobol a “fantastic boy”, and said words cannot describe how those who knew him were feeling.

Colleagues of Mr Sobol have posted comments on social media describing how he had taken part in delivering aid to Ukrainian refugees following Russia’s full scale invasion of Ukraine.

British and US-Canadian nationals

UK Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron said the Foreign Office was working to verify reports of British nationals killed in the strike, adding that full support would be provided to their families.

It is understood that three British nationals have been killed.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he was “shocked and saddened” by the incident, and sent his thoughts to the friends and families of the victims. He added that aid charities should be “praised and commended” for their work, which they should be allowed to do “unhindered”.

WCK said those killed also included a dual US-Canadian citizen. The US and Canada have not yet commented.

Large number of aid workers killed in Gaza

More than 196 aid workers have been killed in Gaza since October, according to the US-funded Aid Worker’s Security Database, which records major incidents of violence against aid personnel.

Most of those killed since the war broke out six months ago worked for the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), which runs the biggest aid operation in Gaza.

About 1,200 people were killed and 253 hostages taken when Hamas launched its unprecedented attack on southern Israel on 7 October. About 130 hostages remain in captivity, at least 34 of whom are presumed dead.

Since then, 32,916 people have been killed in Gaza, including many women and children, the Hamas-run health ministry says.

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