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‘VERY BEST OF HUMANITY’: THE SEVEN AID WORKERS KILLED IN ISRAELI
AIRSTRIKE  
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Emine Sinmaz
April 3, 2024
The Guardian
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_ Families and others pay tribute to the World Central Kitchen staff
hit leaving Gaza food warehouse _

The killed aid workers (top row left to right:) James Henderson,
James Kirby and John Chapman; (bottom row left to right): Damian
Sobol, Lalzawmi Zomi Frankcom, Jacob Flickinger and Saif Issam Abu
Taha , Composite: World Central Kitchen/Getty Images

 

The World Central Kitchen has described the seven aid workers who
were killed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza
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the “very best of humanity”. Three British nationals, an
Australian, a Polish national, an American-Canadian dual citizen and a
Palestinian were killed when their convoy was hit as it was leaving
the Deir al-Balah warehouse on Monday.

Here is what is known about the victims:

JAMES KIRBY

[James Kirby]

James Kirby Photograph: World Central Kitchen/AFP/Getty Images

James Kirby, 47, who was born in Bristol, was a military veteran
working in the charity’s security team.

He worked for the security firm Solace Global, based in Poole, Dorset,
and was a former sniper marksman and rifleman, according to his
LinkedIn profile. Kirby described himself as someone who maintained
“a calm demeanour under extreme pressure, including life-threatening
situations”.

In a statement, his family said he was a “genuine gentleman”,
adding: “James understood the dangers of venturing into Gaza
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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.”

JOHN CHAPMAN

[John Chapman]

John Chapman Photograph: World Central Kitchen/PA

John Chapman, 57, who was born in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, was also
working for Solace Global among the charity’s security team. He was
reported to have been a former member of special forces.

In a statement released through the Foreign Office, his family
described him as an “incredible father, husband, son and brother”.

They said he “died trying to help people and was subject to an
inhumane act. He was loved by many and will for ever be a hero. He
will be missed dearly,” they added.

JAMES HENDERSON

[James Henderson]

James Henderson Photograph: World Central Kitchen/AFP/Getty Images

James Henderson, 33, who was born in Truro, Cornwall, worked for
Solace Global, also as part of the relief team’s security detail.

According to his LinkedIn page he served for six years in the Royal
Marines before working for private security firms.

He described himself as “a highly disciplined, courteous and
proactive individual who is mobile, offers flexibility and is willing
to take on any further training necessary to offer the best service
possible” and said he “takes the health and safety of others very
seriously”.

SAIF ISSAM ABU TAHA

[Saif Issam Abu Taha]

Saif Issam Abu Taha Photograph: WCK.org/PA

Saif Issam Abu Taha, 25, had worked for World Central Kitchen as a
driver and translator since the beginning of the year, his relatives
said.

His brothers described him as “dedicated young man” eager to help
fellow Palestinians. They also said he was a successful businessman
who had dreamed of getting married.

He was buried in a ceremony attended by hundreds of people in his home
town of Rafah on Tuesday.

ZOMI FRANKCOM

[Zomi Frankcom.]

Zomi Frankcom. Photograph: /WCK.org/PA

Zomi Frankcom, 43, an Australian national, had worked for the World
Central Kitchen for the past five years and had travelled to the US
and Thailand.

In a statement, relatives described her as an “outstanding human
being” who was “killed doing the work she loves delivering food to
the people of Gaza”.

The Australian prime minister, Anthony Albanese, said: “She is
someone who clearly was concerned about her fellow humanity.”

DAMIAN SOBOL

[Damian Sobol]

Damian Sobol Photograph: WCK.org/PA

Damian Sobol, 36, came from the south-eastern Polish city of
Przemyśl, where he was studying hospitality.

He joined World Central Kitchen in 2022, and had been on aid missions
in Ukraine, Morocco and Turkey. For the past six months he had worked
in Gaza and had been documenting the charity’s missions on social
media in the days before he was killed.

Wojciech Bakun, the mayor of Przemyśl, wrote on Facebook: “There
are no words to describe the feelings of people who knew this amazing
young man right now.”

JACOB FLICKINGER

[Jacob Flickinger]

Jacob Flickinger. Photograph: /WCK.org/PA

Jacob Flickinger, 33, a dual US-Canadian citizen, had reportedly been
working in Gaza since the start of March after a previous stint
volunteering for the NGO in Mexico, according to Agence France-Presse.
He was the father of a one-year-old boy, the agency added.

The Canadian prime minister, Justin Trudeau, said officials had spoken
to the Israeli ambassador, Iddo Moed, to express “our dismay at the
unacceptable deaths of a Canadian-American aid worker along with
others … the world needs very clear answers as to how this
happened”.

The Canadian foreign minister, Mélanie Joly, called for a full
investigation and said in a post on X that strikes on humanitarian
personnel were “absolutely unacceptable”.

_Emine Sinmaz is a senior reporter at the Guardian.
Twitter @Emine_Sinmaz [[link removed]]_

* Israel-Gaza War
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* World Central Kitchen
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* innocent victims
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