Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi has described as a “grave mistake” the bombing of a humanitarian convoy in Gaza on Monday. Seven World Central Kitchen (WCK) aid staff, principally foreigners, have been killed in a three-stage strike that was reportedly meant to focus on a Hamas militant. The incident has sparked worldwide condemnation.

Halevi took to X (previously Twitter) on Tuesday to apologize for the strike that left three British residents useless, in addition to a Polish and an Australian nationwide, a Canadian-American twin citizen, and a Palestinian.

”I wish to be very clear – the strike was not carried out with the intention of harming WCK aid staff. It was a mistake that adopted a misidentification – at night time throughout a struggle in very advanced situations. It shouldn’t have occurred,” Halevi stated in a video assertion revealed on the official account of the IDF.

The normal went on to explain the incident as a “grave mistake,” and stated the IDF have been “sorry for the unintentional harm” induced to the members of the WCK.

Another apology was issued to WCK founder Jose Andres by Israeli President Isaac Herzog. He referred to as Andres to precise “deep sorrow and sincere apologies,” the Times of Israel newspaper has reported, citing an announcement from the president’s workplace.

The acknowledgements come after Andres lashed out at a comment made by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, through which he recommended that such “tragic” and “unintended” incidents occur “in wartime.”

“The airstrikes on our convoy were not just some unfortunate mistake in the fog of war,” Andres wrote within the Yedioth Ahronoth each day. “It was a direct attack on clearly marked vehicles whose movements were known by the IDF.” 

Haaretz newspaper reported on Tuesday that the IDF had focused the WCK convoy deliberately due to suspicion {that a} Hamas operative was touring with the group. The outlet’s protection sources stated the automobiles had been “clearly marked on the roof and sides” with the WCK brand, however that an IDF unit accountable for the safety of the route “identified an armed man” with the group and “suspected that he was a terrorist.”

The incident drew condemnation from the worldwide group, together with from the staunchest allies of Israel, such because the US and the UK, and different nations whose residents have been among the many useless.

Israel declared struggle on Hamas after the Palestinian militants carried out a shock cross-border raid on October 7 final yr, killing some 1,100 individuals and taking greater than 200 hostages. The Israeli navy marketing campaign has since left practically 33,000 individuals useless, in line with the Palestinian well being ministry.