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(April 3, 2023) A range of American Jewish organizations' statements on the Israeli strike that killed World Central Kitchens' humanitarian staffers reflects American Jewish anguish and division over blame.
Some worked with World Central Kitchen and mourned the loss of their partners. Others say they have been sounding the alarm bell about a humanitarian crisis in Gaza that has only become more urgent.
Still others say, or suggest, that blame for the Israeli bomb that killed seven aid workers in Gaza lies with Hamas.
Taken together, a range of American Jewish organizations’ statements on the strike that killed World Central Kitchen’s humanitarian staffers reflects American Jewish anguish about the war and impending famine that aid groups have warned of in Gaza. In response to a Jewish Telegraphic Agency request for comment about the strike and the humanitarian crisis, most groups mourned the loss and a few had harsh words for Israel on the shortfall in aid for civilians in Gaza.
Others focused criticism on Hamas. Bodies representing Orthodox, Conservative and Reconstructionist Jews did not respond to inquiries or said they could not formulate a response by press time.
Israel is facing pressure more broadly. In the wake of the strike on Monday, its leadership has apologized and pledged to investigate. The White House has condemned the bombing and humanitarian organizations have withdrawn from Gaza, further imperiling the flow of aid. Gove rnments and humanitarian agencies called on Israel to do more to protect aid workers.
Joining that call to protect aid workers was IsraAid, an Israeli relief group that has worked in disaster zones across the world, and in Israel with the onset of the war. On some of those missions, the group has worked alongside World Central Kitchen, which provides food in conflict areas and set up shop in Israel following Hamas’ invasion on Oct. 7.
IsraAid called World Central Kitchen “an important partner” in crisis response around the world.
“We are shocked and devastated by the deaths of World Central Kitchen team members in Gaza,” the group said in a statement. “For humanitarian aid organizations to do their jobs effectively and deliver lifesaving support, we need safe access to crisis-affected populations, wherever they are. We call on all parties to do everything they can to ensure the safety of humanitarian workers and the communities they serve.”
Statements by Jewish Groups Vary
Two other Jewish groups that focus on food security also mourned the loss of the aid workers. The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, which helps Jews in need in countries around the world, said, “We mourn this loss of lives, especially as [we] have worked with World Central Kitchen in the wake of natural disasters in the past.”
Also expressing condolences was Mazon, a Jewish anti-hunger group that has been providing relief in Israel since Oct. 7 — though it placed ultimate blame for starting the fighting with Hamas.
“We are devastated to learn that, yet again, humanitarian aid workers were killed while risking their lives to provide food to those in need,” the group said in a statement. “We mourn alongside our friends at World Central Kitchen, who have lost colleagues and friends in this tragic conflict sparked by Hamas’ horrific attack on October 7.”
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Other groups have been less focused on the strike. Morton Klein, the president of the right-wing Zionist Organization of America, said that he did not know about the incident before being informed of it by JTA on Tuesday in the early afternoon. He said, “Now that you’ve made me aware of it, obviously I’m devastated that totally innocent people trying to do humanitarian work have lost their lives, I’m sure unintentionally.”
He also said the ultimate responsibility for the aid workers’ death belongs to Hamas.
“I blame Hamas. Every single fatality is blamed on Hamas for launching this war,” Klein said. “In any war you’ll have deaths of civilians that are unintentional. In a war, mistakes are made, targets are missed. If one takes the position that one doesn’t go to war if any innocents will be killed, you won’t go to war and Hamas tyrants will win.”
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