Ex-Royal Marine among three Britons killed in ‘targeted Israeli airstrike’ in Gaza as victims named
The three Britons that were killed in an Israeli airstrike have been named.
John Chapman, James Henderson and James Kirby died after an attack on a Gaza aid convoy, the BBC has revealed.
Henderson, 33, was a former Royal Marine before volunteering as an aid worker.
Chapman, 57, is also believed to have served in the Royal Marines and his family described him as an “excellent man”.
The third man, named as Kirby, reportedly worked for security company Solace Global and was an army veteran, according to the broadcaster.
All three were volunteering for World Central Kitchen (WCK), a charity providing meals to Palestinians, which comprised of volunteers from the UK, US, Australia and Poland.
Five others were killed in the attack.
The group had been travelling through the city of Deir al-Balah when their car was hit by a missile – “despite coordinating movements with the IDF”, according to the agency.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has acknowledged that the Israeli military hit “innocent people” and described it as “unintentional”.
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A friend said that Henderson’s family had been informed of his death this morning: “Everybody is gutted, he was a lovely lad,” they added.
“He hadn’t been out there long, only a couple of weeks.”
Rishi Sunak said he was “shocked and saddened” by the incident and sent his thoughts to the friends and families of the victims.
“There are questions that must be answered,” Sunak told reporters today, calling for an investigation.
Foreign Secretary David Cameron also called on Israel to “immediately investigate” the deaths, adding that the Government wanted “a full, transparent explanation of what happened”.
WCK chief exec Erin Gore condemned the strike, saying: “This is not only an attack against WCK, this is an attack on humanitarian organisations showing up in the most dire of situations where food is being used as a weapon of war. This is unforgivable.
“I am heartbroken and appalled that we – World Central Kitchen and the world – lost beautiful lives today because of a targeted attack by the IDF.
“The love they had for feeding people, the determination they embodied to show that humanity rises above all, and the impact they made in countless lives will forever be remembered and cherished.”