Pressure is mounting on Israel after seven people working for food aid charity World Central Kitchen (WCK) were killed in an Israeli strike in Gaza
The charity's founder José Andrés accuses Israeli forces in Gaza of targeting the workers "systematically, car by car"
Israel’s prime minister said “this happens in war” and that “a thorough inquiry” was being conducted to prevent a recurrence
The head of the Israeli military says the strike was a grave mistake that occurred due to misidentification in very complex circumstances
There are concerns about aid supplies in Gaza, as some charities pause their operations while they reassess the security situation
Three British nationals, John Chapman, James Henderson and James Kirby, were working as security advisers
Palestinian, Polish, Australian and American-Canadian citizens were also victims
A few hours ago, US National Security Council spokesperson said the White House was "heartbroken and deeply troubled by the strike".
Writing on social media Adrienne Watson said: "Humanitarian aid workers must be protected as they deliver aid that is desperately needed, and we urge Israel to swiftly investigate what happened."
Yolande Knell
Middle East correspondent, in Jerusalem
Another US-based NGO, American Near East Refugee Aid (Anera), playing a key role in providing food for hungry Palestinians has said it is also freezing its operations in Gaza.
Anera has been working closely with World Central Kitchen in recent months.
"Anera and WCK are pausing our Gaza operations. Together, Anera and WCK provide some 2 million meals a week in Gaza,” Sean Carroll, the charity's CEO told me.
"Our battered, broken hearts are with our friends at World Central Kitchen today and everyday,” he wrote earlier on X.
Asked about the impact that the decision to halt food provision would have on Gazans, whom the UN says are facing a man-made famine, Caroll pointed out that: “The occupying power has an obligation under international law to provide for the people under occupation.”
Adam Easton
Reporting from Warsaw
The Polish foreign ministry is seeking official confirmation from Israel about reports a Pole was among the aid workers killed during a suspected Israeli strike on Gaza.
As we reported earlier, Mayor of Przemyśl Wojciech Bakun identified the Polish aid worker as Damian Soból.
But, moments ago Polish foreign ministry spokesman Paweł Wroński told a news briefing the ministry had received reports, including a statement from World Central Kitchen (WCK) seven of its team, including a Polish citizen, had been killed in the strike.
Officials say they are seeking official confirmation from the Israeli government about the victim's identity.
Colleagues of Soból have posted comments on social media that he had taken part in delivering aid to Ukrainian refugees following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Here is the full statement from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) about the suspected air strike:
Quote MessageFollowing the reports regarding the World Central Kitchen personnel in Gaza today, the IDF is conducting a thorough review at the highest levels to understand the circumstances of this tragic incident.
Quote MessageThe IDF makes extensive efforts to enable the safe delivery of humanitarian aid, and has been working closely with WCK in their vital efforts to provide food and humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza."
Image source, PA MediaCabinet minister Gillian Keegan says the UK government is "very, very concerned" by reports a British aid worker has been killed in Gaza.
The education secretary told BBC Breakfast: "We haven't had it confirmed yet, but we are very, very concerned by the situation.
"We do know that we've urged Israel to do more to protect civilians, but also to allow aid to get into Gaza.
"But, we haven't yet had this confirmed and I think the IDF are reviewing this, probably as we speak."
Separately, we have just heard from the UK Foreign Office too.
Quote MessageWe are aware of reports of the death of a British national in Gaza and are urgently seeking further information."
Foreign Office
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) has just released an update on the fighting in Gaza over the last day, saying they hit 25 targets across Gaza with air strikes.
The update on its Hebrew-language X account, external does not provide details on the WCK incident, but the IDF does say its targets include weapons storage sites and other "terrorist infrastructure".
The IDF adds that fighting is continuing in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis.
A spokesman for the UN children's aid organisation, Unicef, tells the BBC that the seven aid worker deaths clearly show how dangerous the situation in Gaza has become.
Speaking to Radio 4's Today programme, James Elder describes the killing of the World Central Kitchen workers as "utterly horrifying" and an "immense tragedy".
He adds the deaths "underscores the horrendous conditions everyone continues to endure in Gaza" but it is just such a senseless loss of life".
Quote MessageThis has been one of the most dangerous places in living memory to operate, Gaza is breaking too many bleak records - numbers of children killed, number of people facing catastrophic hunger, record displacement, worst devastation to homes in living memory and largest number of United Nations colleagues killed since it was created."
Image source, ReutersThe aid workers were travelling in a "deconflicted zone in two armoured cars branded with the WCK logo" and a normal vehicle, the charity's most recent statement about the attack says.
World Central Kitchen says it had coordinating movements with Israeli forces, but they were attacked after leaving a warehouse in Deir al-Balah.
The charity’s CEO Erin Gore says in the statement she is “heartbroken and appalled” and the charity is pausing operations in Gaza.
Quote MessageThis is not only an attack against WCK, this is an attack on humanitarian organizations showing up in the most dire of situations where food is being used as a weapon of war. This is unforgivable."
Erin Gore, World Central Kitchen CEO
Another foreign aid worker killed in the suspected Israeli air strike has just been named by Polish authorities as Damian Soból.
The Mayor of Przemyśl said Soból was a local of the south-eastern city - which is close to Poland's border with Ukraine.
Posting on Facebook, external, Wojciech Bakun described Soból as a "fantastic boy".
He says there are no words to describe the feelings of those who knew Soból.
Yolande Knell
Middle East correspondent, in Jerusalem
Video shot at Deir al-Balah hospital in central Gaza shows the bodies of several aid workers and their foreign passports.
They’re wearing clothing including bullet proof vests bearing the World Central Kitchen logo.
The organisation has been involved in sending the first aid to the war-torn territory by sea from Cyprus.
Their convoy is said to have coordinated its movements with the Israeli military when it was hit.
The CEO of World Central Kitchen, Erin Gore, said it was an “unforgiveable attack” on humanitarian organisations showing up in the most dire of situations.
The charity is now pausing its operations and says it will make decisions about the future of its work soon.
Image source, World Central KitchenAustralian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has confirmed that aid worker Lalzawmi "Zomi" Frankcom was among those killed and has offered his condolences to family and friends.
The 44-year-old was from Melbourne and had been working with the World Central Kitchen.
In a statement, Albanese said: "This is someone who was volunteering overseas to provide aid through this charity for people who are suffering tremendous deprivation in Gaza. And this is just completely unacceptable."
He said Australia expected "full accountability", adding that it was a "tragedy that should never have occurred".
Image source, ReutersThe founder of World Central Kitchen (WCK) José Andrés says his workers were killed by an Israeli air strike, and called on the Israeli government "to stop this indiscriminate killing".
Gaza's Hamas-run media office also blames Israel.
WCK says the group were attacked after leaving a warehouse in Deir al-Balah where they had unloaded more than 100 tons of humanitarian food aid brought to Gaza via ship.
The strike cannot be verified independently at the moment and details are still emerging.
Israel's military says it is conducting a thorough review at the highest level to understand the circumstances of this "tragic incident".
Thomas Mackintosh
Live reporter
Welcome to our coverage on the latest developments in the Israel-Gaza war.
At least seven aid workers, mostly foreign nationals, have been killed in an air strike in Gaza, according to the food charity World Central Kitchen.
The US based-charity says a British national is among the dead as are nationalities from Poland, Australia as well as a US-Canada dual citizen and a Palestinian.
Israel’s military says it's conducting a thorough review to understand the circumstances of what it called a tragic incident.
Stay with us as we bring you the latest on this incident from our team of journalists and correspondents.