Poland expects ‘straight apology’ from Israeli envoy over killing of Polish aid worker by Israeli airstrike

By Ahmet Gencturk

ATHENS (AA) – Poland expects a “straight apology” from the Israeli ambassador in Warsaw over the killing of a Polish aid worker in Israeli airstrikes on Monday in Gaza, according to local media.

Campaigning Thursday for local government elections this weekend, Prime Minister Donald Tusk said, "We all know what happened, how senseless and unnecessary that death was,” according to state-run PAP news agency.

Saying that he expects a full and immediate explanation of the tragedy and compensation for the victim's next of kin, he added: "If the ambassador decides to speak publicly on our media, he should use the opportunity to offer a normal, human apology.”

He also said: "I would also very much like, and this is in Israel's interests, representatives of that country, especially in such a situation, to respect the emotions of Poles and communicate on this matter clearly and directly.”

In an online interview on Wednesday, Israeli Ambassador Yacov Livne said the aid workers’ deaths were the result of a tragic “accident” that had occurred during wartime, despite numerous press reports and analyses saying the strikes were clearly deliberate.

He also gave assurance that Israeli authorities would look into the causes of the incident and inform the governments of Poland and other countries affected about their findings.

Damian Sobol, a volunteer working in Gaza for the World Central Kitchen humanitarian aid group, was killed along with six others on Monday when a convoy he was travelling in was hit in an Israeli airstrike.​​​​​​​