‘Guilt by association’: why seven international aid workers were killed in Israeli airstrike

A Guardian probe has uncovered that an Israeli airstrike on a World Central Kitchen convoy in Gaza was carried out under a military doctrine that brands any vehicle linked to a target as a legitimate target. The April 2024 attack, which killed seven aid workers from Britain, Australia, Palestine, Poland and the United States, was deemed a “guilt by association” operation by the Israeli army. In a rare admission, a senior Israeli military prosecutor said the incident would not trigger criminal charges, sparking international outrage over the safety of humanitarian workers. The investigation raises serious questions about the rules of engagement and the protection of civilians in conflict zones.

Exclusive: Guardian investigation reveals targeting of World Central Kitchen convoy was result of widely used military tactic• Death on the road to Rafah: the night the IDF targeted World Central Kitchen aid workersSeven aid workers killed in an airstrike in Gaza were marked as targets under an Israeli military practice of establishing guilt by association, a Guardian investigation shows.A top Israeli military prosecutor announced last month that he would not pursue criminal proceedings for the April 2024 incident in which drones fired missiles at three clearly marked World Central Kitchen (WCK) cars soon after they had escorted a food aid delivery to Gaza. Three British humanitarian workers along with an Australian, a Palestinian, a Pole and a dual US-Canadian national were killed. Continue reading...