The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced on August 12 that it had eliminated terrorists who were disguised as members of World Central Kitchen (WCK), an aid group assisting Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip. Evidence has emerged throughout the war between Israel and Hamas that members of armed factions have infiltrated non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and worked under the cover of humanitarian organizations.
“The IDF announces that in a targeted airstrike last week, five armed terrorists were eliminated while near a vehicle marked with the emblem of the international humanitarian aid organization ‘World Central Kitchen’ (WCK), despite having no affiliation with the organization, and while posing a threat to our troops. The terrorists deliberately affixed the emblem and wore yellow vests in an attempt to conceal their activity and avoid being targeted, cynically exploiting the status and trust afforded to aid organizations,” the IDF said.
The Israeli military noted that it verified with the WCK that the vehicle was not affiliated with the non-profit group.
The WCK stated that it condemned persons who disguised themselves as WCK staff or other humanitarians, as the act “endangers civilians and aid workers.”
On August 11, Al Jazeera published a video titled, “The moment the Israeli occupation targeted a civilian vehicle with a second missile in the Al-Baraka area of Deir al-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip.” The video shows a crowd standing near a burning vehicle, followed by a missile strike. The description of the location in the video, including the date it was published, indicates it is the vehicle with the WCK logo that the IDF said it attacked.
Evidence of terrorists working for NGOs
Terrorists who exploit NGOs or work for non-profits as a cover for their activities have a precedent in Gaza. For example, there is extensive evidence of terrorists who worked for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) and participated in the October 7, 2023, attack in southern Israel, as well as various other NGOs in Gaza.
Evidence published on social media on May 29 demonstrates that Khalil al Baz, a deceased commander of the Palestinian Mujahideen Movement, worked for a charity called “Aqsa Working Group.” Although it is unclear what role he played in the organization, he was active within it in 2024 and featured in its promotional materials.
In addition, open-source information shows that Hossam Mansour, a platoon commander for Hamas’s internal security force who was killed by the IDF last year, met with United Nations officials while working for an NGO in Gaza called the Al Khair Foundation.
Other organizations, such as the Holy Land Foundation, Al-Aqsa Foundation, Al Weam Charitable Society, and El Baraka Association for Charitable and Humanitarian Work, demonstrate additional ties between Palestinian terrorists and charities.
The IDF emphasized that it will continue to coordinate with humanitarian organizations to verify their activities in Gaza. As of Tuesday, there has been no claim by terrorist groups in the territory that their fighters were involved in the WCK incident.
