The official Palestinian news agency WAFA reported that three employees of World Central Kitchen were killed when an Israeli strike targeted a civilian vehicle in Khan Younis, in the enclave's south.
The family of the man, Ahed Azmi Qdeih, said the Israeli allegations were false and meant to justify his unlawful killing. They said he was an engineer who dedicated his life to charitable work.
The military said that he had taken part in the attack on Kibbutz Nir Oz in southern Israel and was under surveillance but did not offer any evidence. Reuters could not independently verify whether he took part in the attack last year.
Earlier today, the IDF struck a vehicle with a terrorist, Hazmi Kadih, who took part in invading Kibbutz Nir Oz during the October 7 massacre. Kadih was monitored by IDF intelligence for a while and was struck following credible information regarding his real-time location.…— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) November 30, 2024
World Central Kitchen said it was pausing operations in the Gaza Strip, adding that it was working with incomplete information and urgently seeking more details.
Medics in the enclave said that a total of five people were killed in the strike, which they said targeted a vehicle east of Khan Younis.
In a later attack in Khan Younis, medics said at least nine Palestinians were killed when an Israeli air strike hit a car near a crowd receiving flour, a vehicle that was used by security personnel tasked with overseeing aid deliveries into the Gaza Strip.
We are heartbroken to share that a vehicle carrying World Central Kitchen colleagues was hit by an Israeli airstrike in Gaza.— World Central Kitchen (@WCKitchen) At this time, we are working with incomplete information and are urgently seeking more details.World Central Kitchen had no knowledge that any… pic.twitter.com/7fPLZ8z9VyNovember 30, 2024
The Israeli military rejects allegations that it deliberately targets civilians in its Gaza campaign, accusing Hamas of operating from civilian facilities and using civilians as shields, which the group denies.
Overall, at least 32 Palestinians were killed in Israeli strikes across the enclave overnight and into Saturday, Gaza medics said.
Among those, at least seven died in an Israeli strike on a house in central Gaza City, according to a statement from the Gaza Civil Defence and WAFA early on Saturday.
Meanwhile leaders of Hamas were expected to arrive in Cairo on Saturday for ceasefire talks with Egyptian officials, days after Israel and Hezbollah agreed to a ceasefire in Lebanon, two officials of the group told Reuters.
The visit is the first since the United States announced earlier this week it would revive efforts in collaboration with Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey to negotiate a ceasefire in Gaza.
The Hamas delegation is expected to meet with Egyptian security officials to explore ways to reach a ceasefire deal with Israel that could secure the release of hostages in return for Palestinian prisoners.
Progress before now has been limited in a series of on-off talks over months.
Hamas is seeking an agreement that would end the war while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that the war will end only when Hamas is eradicated.
Israel's military campaign in the Gaza Strip has killed at least 44,382 people and displaced nearly all of the enclave's population at least once, Gaza officials say.
Vast swathes of the Gaza Strip lie in ruins.
The conflict was triggered 13 months ago when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israeli communities, killing about 1200 people and capturing 250 hostages, according to Israeli officials.
