LOC10:25
07:25 GMT
WASHTINGTON, April 3 (KUNA) -- US President Joe Biden said late Tuesday that the Israel, the occupation force, "has not done enough" to protect civilians or aid workers in the ongoing war in Gaza.
Biden expressed in a statement "anger and profound sadness" at the killing of seven aid workers, including an American, from the World Central Kitchen organization in an Israeli occupation bombing in Gaza, where they were delivering food aid to Palestinian civilians, considering their deaths a "great tragedy."
The statement added that the investigation that aggression promised to carry out into the incident "must be swift, it must bring accountability, and its findings must be made public"
He also said that the occupying aggression had not done enough to protect civilians, also noting, "the United States repeatedly urged Israel to separate its military operations against Hamas from humanitarian operations to avoid civilian casualties."
He emphasized that Washington would continue to do everything in its power to provide humanitarian aid to Palestinian civilians in Gaza through all available means, adding, "I will continue to pressure Israel to do more to facilitate such aid, we are also pushing hard for an immediate ceasefire as part of the hostage deal."
White House spokesman John Kirby announced today that the United States was "angry" about the Israeli airstrikes that killed seven aid workers, as he affirmed that the US demand a "fast, transparent, and clear" investigation into the incident.
The relief organization World Central Kitchen stated in a statement that a team, traveling in a convoy with two armored vehicles displaying the organization's logo, was targeted by Israeli occupation forces' bombing.
United Nations reports confirmed the killing of at least 196 humanitarian workers in the Gaza war, which left over 32,000 dead, the cost of infrastructure damage reached over USD 18 billion so far. (end)
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