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| Gaza aid convoy strike: What do we know? | Gaza aid convoy strike: What do we know? |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Seven people working for the food aid charity World Central Kitchen (WCK) have been killed in an Israeli strike in Gaza. | Seven people working for the food aid charity World Central Kitchen (WCK) have been killed in an Israeli strike in Gaza. |
| Three of them were British and Foreign Secretary David Cameron has called on Israel to "urgently explain how this happened". | Three of them were British and Foreign Secretary David Cameron has called on Israel to "urgently explain how this happened". |
| BBC Verify has been studying images of the aftermath of the attack, shared on social media, to try to piece together what we know about the incident. | BBC Verify has been studying images of the aftermath of the attack, shared on social media, to try to piece together what we know about the incident. |
| The convoy | The convoy |
| The charity says the aid workers were travelling in three cars - two of them armoured. | The charity says the aid workers were travelling in three cars - two of them armoured. |
| It says the convoy's movements had been coordinated with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). | It says the convoy's movements had been coordinated with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). |
| The convoy had dropped off more than 100 tonnes of food supplies at a warehouse in Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, according to the charity. | The convoy had dropped off more than 100 tonnes of food supplies at a warehouse in Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, according to the charity. |
| By analysing images of three heavily-damaged vehicles - one of them bearing a WCK logo on the roof - BBC Verify has worked out their locations. | By analysing images of three heavily-damaged vehicles - one of them bearing a WCK logo on the roof - BBC Verify has worked out their locations. |
| They are around 2.5kms (1.5 miles) apart, which suggests there was more than one strike. | They are around 2.5kms (1.5 miles) apart, which suggests there was more than one strike. |
| BBC Verify pinpointed their locations by matching visual clues in the photos of them with satellite images of this part of Gaza. | BBC Verify pinpointed their locations by matching visual clues in the photos of them with satellite images of this part of Gaza. |
| In one image of a heavily-damaged Toyota Hilux, as well as the trees and fence beside the vehicle, a lone palm tree stands in a walled enclosure with a distinctive pattern of buildings surrounding it. | In one image of a heavily-damaged Toyota Hilux, as well as the trees and fence beside the vehicle, a lone palm tree stands in a walled enclosure with a distinctive pattern of buildings surrounding it. |
| Using satellite images, these features have been matched with a part of Al-Rashid road - which runs along the coast in central Gaza. | Using satellite images, these features have been matched with a part of Al-Rashid road - which runs along the coast in central Gaza. |
| A photo of a second heavily damaged vehicle, where features - including trees and distinctive buildings are circled and compared with a satellite image of the same road | A photo of a second heavily damaged vehicle, where features - including trees and distinctive buildings are circled and compared with a satellite image of the same road |
| In a photo of a second badly-damaged vehicle, a large jagged hole can been seen in the roof of a different Toyota Hilux. A WCK logo is also visible. | In a photo of a second badly-damaged vehicle, a large jagged hole can been seen in the roof of a different Toyota Hilux. A WCK logo is also visible. |
| Elsewhere, a pylon, a section of woodland, a low wall and two distinct roofs can be seen in the background. BBC Verify has matched the scene to about 800m south of the first vehicle. | Elsewhere, a pylon, a section of woodland, a low wall and two distinct roofs can be seen in the background. BBC Verify has matched the scene to about 800m south of the first vehicle. |
| A third damaged vehicle was photographed in an area of open ground to the south, about 100m off the road. | A third damaged vehicle was photographed in an area of open ground to the south, about 100m off the road. |
| The WCK says this third car was a "soft-skin vehicle" - meaning not armoured. It was about 1.6km south of the second vehicle and 2.5km of the first. | The WCK says this third car was a "soft-skin vehicle" - meaning not armoured. It was about 1.6km south of the second vehicle and 2.5km of the first. |
| The third car was a "soft-skin vehicle" according to the WCK | The third car was a "soft-skin vehicle" according to the WCK |
| "It was a direct hit. They tried to treat some of them and put them in another car in front. But they shelled the car," a local resident, who said he witnessed the strike, said. | "It was a direct hit. They tried to treat some of them and put them in another car in front. But they shelled the car," a local resident, who said he witnessed the strike, said. |
| What weapons might have been used? | What weapons might have been used? |
| BBC Verify showed images of the cars to a number of weapons experts. | BBC Verify showed images of the cars to a number of weapons experts. |
| They do not show fragments of missiles or bombs at the scene but the experts studied the damage to the vehicles. | They do not show fragments of missiles or bombs at the scene but the experts studied the damage to the vehicles. |
| Chris Cobb-Smith, a former British Army officer and ex-UN weapons inspector, said the attack was likely the result of drone-launched Spike missiles. | Chris Cobb-Smith, a former British Army officer and ex-UN weapons inspector, said the attack was likely the result of drone-launched Spike missiles. |
| Spike missiles are a type of powerful weapon, usually launched against tanks and other armoured vehicles. | Spike missiles are a type of powerful weapon, usually launched against tanks and other armoured vehicles. |
| Justin Crump, a former British Army officer who runs Sibylline - a risk intelligence company - agreed. He says the attack "was likely drone-launched and targeted". | Justin Crump, a former British Army officer who runs Sibylline - a risk intelligence company - agreed. He says the attack "was likely drone-launched and targeted". |
| He added the strike was likely caused by a missile, rather than a bomb or mortar. | He added the strike was likely caused by a missile, rather than a bomb or mortar. |
| The victims | The victims |
| Images of the aid workers' bodies were first posted on social media just before 22:30 BST on 1 April. | Images of the aid workers' bodies were first posted on social media just before 22:30 BST on 1 April. |
| Graphic videos showed the bodies of five individuals. Two more bodies were recovered from Deir al-Balah later on, the Palestine Red Crescent Society said on X. | Graphic videos showed the bodies of five individuals. Two more bodies were recovered from Deir al-Balah later on, the Palestine Red Crescent Society said on X. |
| WCK logos were visible on bulletproof vests on at least three of the deceased. | WCK logos were visible on bulletproof vests on at least three of the deceased. |
| Videos also showed colleagues from WCK identifying the bodies. | Videos also showed colleagues from WCK identifying the bodies. |
| "These are the people who brought the aid from the sea," one said, before crying out as he recognised a Palestinian aid worker killed. | "These are the people who brought the aid from the sea," one said, before crying out as he recognised a Palestinian aid worker killed. |
| Images of three foreign passports near the bodies - Australian, Polish and British - were also shared on social media. | Images of three foreign passports near the bodies - Australian, Polish and British - were also shared on social media. |
| BBC Verify has been able to match the face of Australian worker Zomi Frankcom with a video shared by the WCK official account on X on 25 March. | BBC Verify has been able to match the face of Australian worker Zomi Frankcom with a video shared by the WCK official account on X on 25 March. |
| In the video, Ms Frankcom speaks to a chef about the food being prepared at a WCK community kitchen in Deir al-Balah - one of the 67 the charity operates in Gaza. | In the video, Ms Frankcom speaks to a chef about the food being prepared at a WCK community kitchen in Deir al-Balah - one of the 67 the charity operates in Gaza. |
| Polish aid worker Damain Rafal Sobol appeared in two videos filmed in Gaza and posted by the WCK's X account on 29 February and 2 March. In one of the videos, Mr Sobol demonstrates a cold storage site built inside a WCK kitchen in Rafah. | Polish aid worker Damain Rafal Sobol appeared in two videos filmed in Gaza and posted by the WCK's X account on 29 February and 2 March. In one of the videos, Mr Sobol demonstrates a cold storage site built inside a WCK kitchen in Rafah. |
| Palestinian aid worker Saif Issam Abu-Taha and Mr Sobol both appeared in a photo, posted by Mr Sobol on Instagram nine weeks ago, wearing jackets bearing WCK logos. | Palestinian aid worker Saif Issam Abu-Taha and Mr Sobol both appeared in a photo, posted by Mr Sobol on Instagram nine weeks ago, wearing jackets bearing WCK logos. |
| The route | The route |
| WCK said the food supplies had been brought to Gaza "on the maritime route". | WCK said the food supplies had been brought to Gaza "on the maritime route". |
| Aid is delivered by sea using a jetty recently constructed by WCK west of Gaza city. The first delivery via the route was on March 15. | Aid is delivered by sea using a jetty recently constructed by WCK west of Gaza city. The first delivery via the route was on March 15. |
| WCK also has a "Welcome Centre" along the coastal road for refugees fleeing the north. | WCK also has a "Welcome Centre" along the coastal road for refugees fleeing the north. |
| It is unclear exactly where the Deir al-Balah warehouse is, but WCK recently opened a new field kitchen to the east of Deir al Balah, off Salah al-Din road. | It is unclear exactly where the Deir al-Balah warehouse is, but WCK recently opened a new field kitchen to the east of Deir al Balah, off Salah al-Din road. |
| A video shared to their X account last week shows a storage area with a forklift truck as well as food on pallets. This location is roughly 5km from where the first car was struck on the coastal road. | A video shared to their X account last week shows a storage area with a forklift truck as well as food on pallets. This location is roughly 5km from where the first car was struck on the coastal road. |
| WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN: Facing danger to feed millions | |
| Charity founder pays tribute to workers | |
| ANALYSIS: Deadly strike shows aid workers' protection in crisis, agencies say | |
| PROFILES: Who were the seven aid workers killed in Gaza? | |
| BBC Verify asked the food aid charity for the warehouse location and details of the coordinates they shared with Israeli forces but they did not provide any details. | BBC Verify asked the food aid charity for the warehouse location and details of the coordinates they shared with Israeli forces but they did not provide any details. |
| The Israeli army said it has been reviewing the incident "at the highest levels" to understand the circumstances of what happened and how it happened. | The Israeli army said it has been reviewing the incident "at the highest levels" to understand the circumstances of what happened and how it happened. |
| "We will be opening a probe to examine this serious incident further," it added. | "We will be opening a probe to examine this serious incident further," it added. |
| BBC Verify is continuing to investigate this incident. | BBC Verify is continuing to investigate this incident. |
| Additional reporting by Merlyn Thomas. | Additional reporting by Merlyn Thomas. |
| What do you want BBC Verify to investigate? | What do you want BBC Verify to investigate? |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Israel-Gaza war | Israel-Gaza war |