Family of British aid worker killed in Gaza demands independent investigation
epa11255114 A destroyed car of the NGO World Central Kitchen (WCK) sits along Al Rashid road, between Deir Al Balah and Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, 02 April 2024. According to the Palestinian Red Crescent, at least four people from the NGO World Central Kitchen (WCK) were killed when a missile hit their convoy in Deir al Balah while they were on their way from Rafah to Gaza City to receive fresh aid delivered by the Open Arms vessel. The victims were confirmed to be a British, a Polish and an Australian citizen, while the nationality of the fourth victim was still unknown. EPA-EFE/MOHAMMED SABER
The family of James Kirby, a British aid worker killed in an Israeli drone strike in Gaza, is calling for an independent legal investigation into his death, the BBC reported on Wednesday.
Kirby, 47, a former serviceman, was among seven people, including three Britons, who were killed in April when Israel targeted a World Central Kitchen aid convoy in the Palestinian enclave.
As a memorial service for Kirby is set to take place at Bristol Cathedral this week, his family has criticised the UK government for not reaching out to them since the incident. They also expressed “surprise” that neither Israel’s ambassador to the UK nor any other Israeli official has offered condolences for the attack.
“There must be a proper, independent inquiry into this attack on innocent aid workers, and for the evidence to be assessed, if appropriate, in a relevant court of law,” said Kirby’s cousin, Louise Kirby.
Israeli officials earlier stated that a drone operator “mistakenly” targeted the aid convoy, despite World Central Kitchen following Israeli protocols and providing the coordinates and planned route of the aid trucks before the journey. Over a span of five minutes, three missiles were fired at the convoy. Survivors of the initial strike attempted to move between trucks, but all vehicles were eventually destroyed, leaving no survivors.
Following the attack, the Israel Defense Forces dismissed two officers and formally reprimanded two senior commanders. A spokesperson for the Israeli Embassy in London described the attack as “a tragic mistake” and expressed “deepest sorrow” to the Kirby family in a statement to the BBC.
After the incident, then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak had called for a “thorough and transparent independent investigation.” However, Kirby’s family told the BBC that the government has yet to initiate an inquiry into the killings, leaving them demanding answers.
“I very much hope the prime minister (Keir Starmer) will take our concerns seriously and instigate an appropriate, independent or legal inquiry—not only so we can have transparency and accountability, but so that other British citizens and their families know that their government will act for them if a foreign state unlawfully kills their loved ones,” Louise Kirby stated.
She emphasised the need for closure, saying, “Any family of a loved one who has been killed needs closure. We need to understand how this disaster could have happened. But this is not just about us. This is about how Britain looks after its own citizens and their families when a British citizen has been unlawfully killed by another state.”
