World Central Kitchen Fires Dozens of Gaza Staff Amid Terror Group Allegations

In a significant move, World Central Kitchen (WCK), a US-based charity providing food aid, has fired 62 staff members working in the Gaza Strip after Israeli authorities flagged them for potential connections to terrorist organizations. According to three workers who spoke to Reuters, the charity confirmed the layoffs, stating it had “made changes” to its staff following Israel's request for an investigation into its hiring practices.

WCK issued a statement clarifying that the decision to terminate the employees was not an admission of their affiliation with any terrorist groups, adding that Israel had not shared any intelligence regarding the individuals involved. “We do not know the basis for Israel’s decision to flag these individuals,” the organization said, stressing that the layoffs were made to “protect our team and our operations.”

One of the workers, Ahed Azmi Qdeih, was reportedly identified by Israel as a participant in the brutal Hamas-led massacre on October 7, 2023, in which 1,200 people were killed, and 251 taken hostage. Qdeih was killed in an Israeli airstrike on November 30, 2024. WCK confirmed his death but denied any knowledge of his involvement in the attack.

An Israeli security official stated that a review found 62 WCK employees had “affiliations and direct connections” with terror groups, prompting Israel to demand the termination of their employment. This action is part of ongoing tensions over allegations that organizations providing aid in Gaza have become infiltrated by Hamas and other Palestinian militant groups.

The accusations against WCK staff mirror similar claims made against the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), which also faced allegations that some of its employees were involved in the October 7 massacre. Israel has long maintained that a significant portion of UNRWA's staff in Gaza have ties to terrorist organizations, a claim the agency has denied.