IDF Admits to Deadly 'Mistake' that Killed Aid Workers

The leader of Israel’s military announced on Wednesday that a preliminary inquiry had confirmed Israel’s responsibility for the incident that resulted in the deaths of seven aid workers on Monday night.

LTG Herzi Halevi, Chief of the General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces, stated in a video posted to X that the strike was a “grave mistake” that “shouldn’t have happened.”

“The strike was not intended to harm WCK aid workers,” the post quoted General Halevi as saying. “It was a mistake due to misidentification, occurring at night during complex war conditions. It shouldn’t have occurred.”

“The initial findings were presented to me at the Southern Command,” Halevi mentioned.

He also highlighted the IDF's close collaboration with the World Central Kitchen, noting the organization's “important work” in challenging circumstances.

The IDF has established a new “Humanitarian Command Center” to prevent such incidents in the future, with further measures planned to safeguard aid workers.

Halevi apologized for the airstrike, stating, “We are sorry for the unintended harm to the members of WCK. We share in the grief of the families and the entire World Central Kitchen organization from the bottom of our hearts.”

He pledged a thorough investigation by an “independent body,” with results shared internationally to drive improvements in IDF operations for aid worker protection.

President Joe Biden expressed being “outraged and heartbroken” by the attack, demanding a swift and accountable investigation with public disclosure, echoing Halevi’s assurances.

“Incidences like yesterday’s simply should not happen,” Biden emphasized, as per The Associated Press.