GAZA STRIP, Palestinian Territories, April  3, 2024 (BSS/AFP) - The bodies 
of six foreign aid workers killed in an Israeli strike were on Wednesday taken 
out of Gaza to Egypt for repatriation, a security source said, as Israel faced 
a chorus of outrage over their deaths.

       The Israeli military killed seven staff of the US-based food charity World 
Central Kitchen on Monday in an attack that UN chief Antonio Guterres labelled 
"unconscionable" and "an inevitable result of the way the war is being 
conducted".

       The remains of the six international staff, who were killed alongside one 
Palestinian colleague, were taken in ambulances to the Rafah crossing to Egypt, 
where they were handed over to representatives of their respective countries, 
the security source said on condition of anonymity.

       Israel's armed forces chief Herzi Halevi called the attack a "grave 
mistake", which he blamed on night-time "misidentification", adding in a video 
message that "we are sorry for the unintentional harm to the members of WCK".

       Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged the "tragic case" would 
be investigated "right to the end", and President Isaac Herzog expressed his 
"deep sorrow and sincere apologies".

       The seven deaths piled more pressure on Israel, whose war since the Hamas 
attack of October 7 has brought devastation and mass civilian casualties to 
Gaza, where the UN warns the population of 2.4 million is on the brink of 
famine.

       US President Joe Biden said he was "outraged and heartbroken" by the deaths 
and charged that Israel "has not done enough to protect aid workers trying to 
deliver desperately needed help to civilians". 
       
       - 'Anger and concern' -
       
       Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he had voiced his "anger 
and concern" to Netanyahu, while Britain summoned the Israeli ambassador and 
demanded "full accountability".

       Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk wrote on X to Netanyahu and Israel's 
ambassador, saying the deaths were straining ties and that "the tragic attack 
against volunteers and your reaction are generating an understandable anger".

       Pope Francis also voiced "deep sorrow" and renewed his appeal for access to 
aid for the "exhausted and suffering civilian population" of Gaza, and for the 
release of the hostages taken by Hamas.

       The charity said it was mourning the loss of its seven "heroes" and 
"beautiful souls". 

       It said they had been killed in a "targeted attack" that was launched 
despite the group having coordinated its movements with Israeli forces.
 
       It named those killed as Palestinian Saifeddin Issam Ayad Abutaha, 25; 
Australian Lalzawmi (Zomi) Frankcom, 43; Britons John Chapman, 57, James (Jim) 
Henderson, 33, and James Kirby, 47; Pole Damian Sobol, 35; and US-Canadian 
Jacob Flickinger, 33.

       After their deaths, the charity suspended operations and a ship that had 
carried food aid from Cyprus to Gaza turned back towards the Mediterranean 
island with around 240 tons of supplies that had not been unloaded.  

       Jordan, to help ease the dire shortages in Gaza somewhat, said it had 
airdropped more food, joined by three US planes and one aircraft each from 
Egypt, Germany and the United Arab Emirates.
       
       - Mass protests -
    
       
       The bloodiest-ever Gaza war erupted with Hamas's October 7 attack, which 
resulted in about 1,160 deaths in Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP 
tally based on Israeli official figures.

       Israel's retaliatory campaign has killed at least 32,975 people, mostly 
women and children, according to the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza.

       The army said its forces had "killed and apprehended a number of 
terrorists" in fighting near the Al-Amal Hospital in the southern city of Khan 
Yunis, where they had also located numerous weapons. 

       Palestinian militants also seized around 250 hostages on October 7. Israel 
believes about 130 remain in Gaza, including 34 who are presumed dead.

       Talks for a ceasefire and hostage release deal have stalled, with Hamas 
chief Ismail Haniyeh accusing Israel of procrastinating.

       The families of the captives have staged four straight nights of mass 
protests, joined by a resurgent anti-government movement.

       Thousands gathered in front of parliament Tuesday, with former prime 
minister Ehud Barak blaming Netanyahu for the October 7 "disaster" and 
demanding new elections.

       The UN Human Rights Council will on Friday consider a draft resolution 
calling for an arms embargo on Israel, citing the "plausible risk of genocide 
in Gaza". 

       The draft "condemns the use of explosive weapons with wide area effects by 
Israel in populated areas in Gaza" and of "the use of starvation of civilians 
as a method of warfare". 
 
       There are 47 countries serving on the Human Rights Council -- among them 18 
states which brought forward the draft resolution. Twenty-four votes are needed 
for an outright majority, or possibly fewer if there are abstentions.

       Israel has long accused the Human Rights Council of being biased against it.