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[INTERNATIONAL] · Israel, Palestinian Territories, United Kingdom, Australia, Poland · 12 sources

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Israel military practice linked to killing of seven aid workers

An investigation by The Guardian has revealed that the April 2024 Israeli airstrike that killed seven World Central Kitchen (WCK) aid workers was driven by a military practice known as ‘guilt by association.’ This practice allows the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to designate individuals as legitimate targets if they are perceived to be in proximity to militants.

The seven victims included three British nationals, an Australian, a Palestinian, a Pole, and a dual US-Canadian citizen. While the official IDF investigation attributed the incident to specific officer errors and suggested the convoy deviated from its route or used armed guards, senior Israeli officers interviewed suggest the investigation overlooked the systemic role of the ‘guilt by association’ doctrine.

Reserve Colonel Nochi Mendel, who ordered the strikes, stated the workers became targets after a brief encounter with armed guards assumed to be from Hamas, an assumption that was later proven to be groundless. Despite the incident, a top Israeli military prosecutor announced that no criminal proceedings would be pursued regarding the strike.

Separately, reports indicate ongoing Israeli military activity in Gaza, including a drone strike in the Rimal neighbourhood that killed one person and injured several others, and an incident in Beit Lahia where two Palestinians were killed. Meanwhile, Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has proposed a plan to remove approximately two million Palestinians from the Gaza Strip over a seven-year period.

Entities

Al Jazeera · Gaza Strip · Hamas · Israel · Israel Defense Forces · Itamar Ben-Gvir · Nochi Mendel · The Guardian · Wafa News Agency · World Central Kitchen

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