In a significant development related to Israel-Gaza war, four local volunteers, who were providing escort services for a convoy, recently lost their lives to Israeli airstrike. Claims Anera, a humanitarian aid organization.
Meanwhile, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have identified the deceased as “armed assailants.”
The convoy, en route to the hospital, was struck by what appeared to be a drone attack. The route had been previously coordinated with the IDF as part of a deconfliction process, which was meant to protect aid vehicles from being targeted.
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However, according to Anera’s statement on Friday, shortly after the convoy entered Gaza, four local men, who had previously worked with Move One, volunteered to take over the lead vehicle. They expressed concerns about the safety of the route and the risk of looting.
Earlier, Anera had referred to these men as Move One employees, but in its updated statement, it described them as “four community members with experience in previous missions and involvement in community security with Move One.”
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But, the statement also noted that these individuals had not been vetted or coordinated with in advance. The Israeli authorities have alleged that the lead vehicle was carrying numerous weapons, though the statement did not address the claim regarding the men being armed.
