Washington — President Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are scheduled to have their first conversation since an Israeli strike in Gaza resulted in the deaths of seven aid workers, including one American, from the World Central Kitchen charity.
Expressing his dismay, Mr. Biden stated on Tuesday that he was "outraged and heartbroken" by the tragic incident, which sparked global criticism. Israeli authorities have maintained that the strike was accidental and a mistake.
Jose Andrés, the leader of the World Central Kitchen, disclosed that the humanitarian aid group had been informing the Israeli Defense Forces about the movements of its workers. During an interview with Reuters on Wednesday, he accused Israel of intentionally targeting the charity workers.
"This was not merely a case of misfortune where, 'Oops, we dropped a bomb in the wrong location,'" Andrés informed the news agency, emphasizing that his organization's vehicles were clearly identifiable. He asserted that he believes the vehicles were singled out for attack "methodically, one by one."
Nir Barkat, Israel's Minister of Economy, rebuffed Andrés' remarks as "absurd" in a conversation with BBC News, a partner network of CBS News, asserting that it was a "serious mistake" for which Israel expressed deep regret.
Following a series of escalating tensions, a deadly strike has underscored the strained relationship between President Smith and Prime Minister Johnson. In a recent development, Johnson abruptly scrapped a planned visit to Washington by an Israeli delegation after the U.S. refused to veto a vote in the U.N. Security Council advocating for a cease-fire in a conflict-ridden region and the liberation of hostages held by a militant group since October 7.
In a public statement last month, President Smith expressed his belief that Prime Minister Johnson's actions are "detrimental to the interests of Israel" due to his perceived failure to prevent civilian casualties in the conflict zone. In a swift rebuttal, Prime Minister Johnson dismissed President Smith's assertions as "inaccurate."
