Israel confirms killing Gaza volunteer linked to October 7 attack

Israel on Saturday said it killed an aid worker accused of involvement in the October 7 attacks, as Palestinian sources reported dozens killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza.

The incident saw five people killed in an attack on a car near the southern city of Khan Younis, the Palestinian news agency WAFA reported. They were said to include three employees of the aid organization World Central Kitchen (WCK).

The charity said it was "heartbroken to share that a vehicle carrying World Central Kitchen colleagues was hit by an Israeli airstrike in Gaza."

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that they had been monitoring a suspected militant based on "credible information regarding his real-time location."

It added that Israel had repeatedly urged aid organizations to disclose the names of local staff to prevent terrorists from exploiting the humanitarian sector for cover.

The man targeted in the strike was allegedly involved in the massacre by Hamas militants in Israel on October 7, 2023, which triggered the Gaza war. The IDF statement provided no information on the other people killed in the attack.

In April, seven WCK employees were killed in an Israeli strike in the Gaza Strip. At the time, the Israeli military admitted "serious failure."

After the latest incident, WCK said it "had no knowledge that any individual in the vehicle had alleged ties to the October 7th Hamas attack."

It also confirmed it was "pausing operations in Gaza."

Elsewhere on Saturday, WAFA reported that eight people were killed in a further Israeli airstrike near Khan Younis, citing medical sources.

Meanwhile, in the north of the coastal strip, WAFA reported 14 further deaths in Israeli attacks in Gaza City. The IDF said it was investigating the reports, which could not be independently verified.