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Gaza aid convoy strike: What we know Gaza aid convoy strike: What we know
(1 day later)
Seven people working for the food aid charity World Central Kitchen (WCK) have been killed in an Israeli strike in Gaza. The Israeli military has released the findings of its investigation into its attack on a convoy in Gaza which killed seven aid workers.
Three of them were British and Foreign Secretary David Cameron has called on Israel to "urgently explain how this happened". The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) say the vehicles were hit by missiles after its drone operators mistakenly thought they were carrying Hamas gunmen. The IDF says it has dismissed two senior military officers and reprimanded two others.
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. Since the attack on 1 April, BBC Verify has been studying images of its aftermath, shared on social media, to try to piece together what we know about the incident.
The convoyThe convoy
The charity says the aid workers were travelling in three cars - two of them armoured. The group of World Central Kitchen (WCK) aid workers were travelling in three cars - two of them armoured.
It says the convoy's movements had been co-ordinated with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). They were part of a convoy delivering more than 100 tonnes of food supplies from a recently constructed pier to a warehouse in Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, according to WCK.
The convoy had unloaded more than 100 tonnes of food supplies at a warehouse in Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, according to the charity. It says their movements had been co-ordinated with the IDF in advance but the investigation has found that this information had not been shared with Israeli drone operators tracking the convoy.
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. The IDF says they had spotted a gunman riding on the roof of a large aid lorry, that was being escorted by the WCK team. Drone footage of this was shown to journalists at an IDF briefing on 4 April but has not been released.
They are around 2.5km (1.5 miles) apart, which suggests there was more than one strike. The IDF says the convoy was tracked to a warehouse (labelled 'A' on the map) where the aid lorry remained and four "SUV-type cars" emerged. It says one contained gunmen - also shown to journalists in drone footage - and headed north but was not targeted because it was close to another aid facility (labelled 'B').
BBC Verify pinpointed their locations by matching visual clues in the photos of them with satellite images of this part of Gaza. The three remaining vehicles, belonging to WCK, headed south.
The investigation says "one of the commanders mistakenly assumed that gunmen were inside the accompanying vehicles and that these were Hamas terrorists".
The drone operators, the IDF says, had "misidentified" one of the aid workers as a gunman - they thought he was carrying a gun when he entered one of the cars but he was holding a bag. The IDF has not shown this footage.
The cars were then targeted.
The strike
Images of the three badly damaged vehicles emerged on social media and have been analysed by BBC Verify to work out where they were struck.
They were located along a stretch of road and were 2.5km (1.5 miles) apart, which suggests there was more than one strike. The IDF report confirms this. It says the first vehicle was struck at 2309, the second at 2311 and the third at 2313.
The WCK head Jose Andres says those in the convoy had tried to call the IDF during the attack.
"They were targeted systemically car by car. They attacked the first car. They were able to move in the second one. Again this one was hit. They were able to move in (into) the third one."
"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," said a local resident, who said he had witnessed the strike.
BBC Verify pinpointed the locations of the strikes by matching visual clues in the photos of the vehicles 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.
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. A second vehicle was pictured with a WCK logo on its roof and a large hole in it. A pylon, a section of woodland, a low wall and two distinct roofs can be seen in the background. BBC Verify 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.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.
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 third car was a "soft-skin vehicle" according to the WCKThe 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," said a local resident, who said he had witnessed the strike.
In a statement released on Thursday, WCK said the IDF carried out a military attack that "involved multiple strikes" and targeted three of its vehicles.
It added that the cars were marked as WCK vehicles and their movements were in full compliance with Israeli authorities.
The charity also called for an independent investigation, saying it is "the only way to determine the truth of what happened, ensure transparency and accountability for those responsible, and prevent future attacks on humanitarian aid workers".
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. The IDF says drone-fired missiles were used in the attack.
They do not show fragments of missiles or bombs at the scene but the experts studied the damage to the vehicles. This confirms the initial analysis from military experts who we sent images of the vehicles to on 2 April.
Chris Cobb-Smith, a former British Army officer and ex-UN weapons inspector, said the attack was probably the result of drone-launched Spike missiles. Chris Cobb-Smith, a former British Army officer and ex-UN weapons inspector, told us the attack was probably 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 that the attack "was likely drone-launched and targeted".
He added the strike had probably been caused by a missile, rather than a bomb or mortar. The IDF said that the WCK logo - on top of one of the vehicles - was not visible at night to the drone operator. Footage shown at the IDF briefing appeared to confirm this, according to a BBC journalist who attended it.
"The nature of the logos and markings visible on the vehicles, while colourful and suitable for daytime recognition, would appear to stand out much less obviously at night depending on the exact nature of the system used", Mr Crump told us.
WCK had already shared the coordinates and journey details of the aid convoy with the Israeli military.
The victimsThe victims
The seven aid workers killed have been named by WCK as: The seven aid workers killed were named by WCK as:
Lalzawmi "Zomi" Frankcom, 43, an Australian citizenLalzawmi "Zomi" Frankcom, 43, an Australian citizen
Damian Sobol, 35, a Polish citizenDamian Sobol, 35, a Polish citizen
Saifeddin Issam Ayad Abutaha, 25, a PalestinianSaifeddin Issam Ayad Abutaha, 25, a Palestinian
Jacob Flickinger, 33, a dual US-Canadian nationalJacob Flickinger, 33, a dual US-Canadian national
John Chapman, 57, a British citizenJohn Chapman, 57, a British citizen
James (Jim) Henderson, 33, a British citizenJames (Jim) Henderson, 33, a British citizen
James Kirby, 47, a British citizenJames Kirby, 47, a British citizen
WCK released pictures of the victimsWCK released pictures of 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.
The route Additional reporting by Merlyn Thomas, Osob Elmi and Joshua Cheetham.
WCK said the food supplies had been brought to Gaza "on the maritime route". This article, originally published on 2 April, has been updated to reflect the findings of the IDF investigation into its attack on the convoy.
Aid is delivered by sea using a jetty recently constructed by WCK west of Gaza city. The first delivery via the route was on 15 March.
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.
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.
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BBC Verify asked the food aid charity for the warehouse location and details of the co-ordinates they shared with Israeli forces but they did not provide any details.
The IDF chief of general staff Herzi Halevi has issued a statement calling the attack "a mistake that followed a misidentification at night… it shouldn't have happened".
He said an investigation into the incident would be completed "in the next coming days".
BBC Verify is continuing to investigate this incident.
Additional reporting by Merlyn Thomas, Osob Elmi and Joshua Cheetham
What do you want BBC Verify to investigate?What do you want BBC Verify to investigate?
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