By Rabia Ali
ISTANBUL (AA) – Monday’s Israeli attack on a World Central Kitchen (WCK) convoy has been condemned by activists and rights groups as yet another flagrant war crime and indicator of its “very clear” genocidal intent.
“What else do you need in order to show that there is a genocide taking place?” Chris Gunness, former spokesperson for the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), said in a video interview with Anadolu.
The destruction, mass starvation and killings, including of over 200 aid workers, is all part of Israel’s intent to perpetuate genocide, he said.
“It seems very clear to us in the humanitarian community, and certainly these arguments that have been made at the International Court of Justice, that Israel is committing a plausible genocide,” said the former UN official.
Gunness dismissed Israel’s claim that the April 1 attack on the WCK convoy was a “mistake” and a case of “misidentification,” asserting that the “facts tell a different story.”
He pointed out that Israeli authorities were informed of the route in advance and had the GPS coordinates for every minute.
All details of the vehicles, passengers and the timing of their movement were all known to the Israeli army, he said.
Various analysis, including by Israeli newspaper Haaretz and investigative group Bellingcat, have shown the three vehicles were attacked at three separate times almost a mile apart, killing six foreigners and one Palestinian aid worker.
“So, if that doesn’t suggest a deliberate killing, I don’t know what does,” said Gunness, calling for an investigation and for “those responsible in the Israeli army to be held to account.”
His views were backed by Ahmed Benchemsi of Human Rights Watch (HRW), who asserted that “this is not an isolated incident.”
“There is a long track record of killing, not just civilians, but frontline people who work to help refugees and help the population of Gaza,” he told Anadolu.
Benchemsi, advocacy and communications director for HRW’s MENA division, said he has little faith in any investigation that the Israeli army might conduct itself.
“There are many precedents of the Israeli army promising it would investigate tragic incidents like this and not delivering, either never investigating or providing extremely insufficient and unconvincing explanations,” he said.
- ‘Real fear in humanitarian community’
Since the deadly strikes, the WCK has stopped its operations in Gaza, followed by other aid groups such as Anera, raising concerns about the impact on millions of Palestinians already facing starvation and a lack of all basic necessities.
According to Gunness, this will have a profound impact on particularly people in northern Gaza.
“In the north of Gaza, there’s a camp for internally displaced people of about 300,000 people, and all aid and food going to them has now been suspended,” he said, adding that WCK was providing about half a million meals with each aid shipment.
He said Israel’s actions have instilled fear in all aid organizations.
“Israel has shown that even if aid organizations coordinate, they tell the Israelis exactly what time, what route, how many vehicles, how many people, they still get struck,” he said.
“So, of course, there’s real fear in the humanitarian community today that there are going to be further attacks on aid convoys.”
Benchemsi also believes the attack will have a strong deterring effect on other aid groups.
“There are very little humanitarian organizations that are on the ground and continuing to help the Palestinians despite all this hardship. They might also think twice and even stop their operations,” he said.
“This is only a furthering of an already existing war crime.”
Ayed Abu Eqtaish, accountability program director at rights group Defense for Children – Palestine, reiterated that coordination with the Israeli military is no guarantee of safety for aid workers.
He cited the example of the Palestine Red Crescent Society ambulance and paramedics bombed by the Israeli army while trying to rescue Hind Rajab, a 6-year-old girl trapped for hours inside a car with the bodies of her family members killed by Israeli fire.
“Even if they give the green light to humanitarian workers ... it’s not a guarantee,” Eqtaish told Anadolu.
“Movement of the humanitarian workers in Gaza is very risky, and it is part of the Israeli strategy to cut off humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza.”
- ‘Genocidal intent is very clear’
The experts view the WCK attack as part of Israel’s strategy to keep using starvation as a weapon of war in Gaza.
For Benchemsi, Israel has shown it intends to keep blocking aid to people in dire need.
“Israel is collectively punishing Palestinians. Israel is using starvation as a weapon of war,” he said.
Gunness, the ex-UNRWA official, said Israel “knows very well that children are starving to death,” adding that it is committing “the first-ever genocide in the world’s history to be live streamed.”
“Israel is intent on committing genocide, and you don’t have to take my word for it,” he said.
“Take the word of (Prime Minister) Benjamin Netanyahu about inflicting a biblical Amalek genocide against the Palestinians … Take the word of (Defense Minister) Yoav Gallant about a total blockade of water, food, fuel … or take the word of (President Isaac) Herzog, who said you could not distinguish between any civilian and any terrorists in Gaza … So, the genocidal intent is very clear.”