Rep. Rashida Tlaib said Tuesday that the Israeli government knew this vehicle contained humanitarian workers
Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., has accused Israel of intentionally killing seven humanitarian aid workers from World Central Kitchen (WCK) in Gaza.
In a post on her Instagram Story, Tlaib claimed, “The Israeli government knew that humanitarian workers were in this vehicle.” She accompanied the statement with a video showing a severely damaged car with a large hole in its roof, which partially obscured what appeared to be a WCK logo.
Additionally, Tlaib shared another post featuring a graphic photo of what appeared to be a deceased aid worker, juxtaposed with a photo purportedly showing the same worker alive.
“Don’t look away. The government of Israel killed seven humanitarian workers (a war crime). They knew the coordinates of the workers and used it to kill them,” Tlaib asserted in her post.
US Newzs Digital reached out to Tlaib for further comment.
Israel’s response to Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack has fractured the Democratic Party, with a growing faction pressuring the Biden administration to limit aid to the Middle Eastern ally.
Tlaib has been one of Biden’s top critics amid the conflict. Along with the accusations against Israel, she also used her Instagram account to criticize the president for sending more weapons and funding to Israel.
She shared a post on Tuesday morning from left-leaning outlet “The Intercept” headlined “1 in 5 Wisconsin Democrats said Gaza war will impact their primary vote.”
“Biden won Wisconsin by 0.63% in 2020. The [Biden campaign] would rather lose to an indicted criminal, twice-impeached candidate than say no to genocide,” Tlaib wrote, referring to former President Trump, the 2024 Republican presidential nominee.
US Newzs Digital reached out to the Biden campaign for comment on the remark.
Seven aid workers – citizens from Poland, Australia, the United Kingdom, and a dual U.S.-Canada citizen, as well as a Palestinian – were killed when their vehicle convoy was hit by an airstrike after delivering food in central Gaza, WCK said. The organization said its vehicles were clearly marked with its name and logo, and that it coordinated their movements with the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) beforehand.
WCK is a global nonprofit dedicated to providing fresh meals to people in war zones, natural disasters, and other humanitarian crises. The group and its founder, famed chef Jose Andres, both blamed Israel for their deaths.
WCK CEO Erin Gore condemned the strike as “unforgivable,” stating in a statement, “I am heartbroken and appalled that we – World Central Kitchen and the world – lost beautiful lives today because of a targeted attack by the IDF.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later released a statement acknowledging an “unintentional” IDF strike.
“Unfortunately, on the last day, there was a tragic event of our forces unintentionally hitting innocent people in the Gaza Strip,” Netanyahu said. “This happens in war; we are checking thoroughly, we are in contact with the governments, and we will do everything to prevent this from happening again.”
The IDF has announced its intention to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident.