In Solidarity with World Central Kitchen

Together Rising is devastated by the news that seven aid workers, trying to deliver much-needed food to Gaza, were killed by Israeli military airstrikes yesterday.

The seven killed were working with World Central Kitchen (WCK), which provides vital humanitarian aid in connection with a number of other on-the-ground organizations, including Middle East Children’s Alliance (MECA) and American Near East Refugee Aid (ANERA), two of our trusted partners in the region whose work has been elevated by WCK’s supplies and support. 

“This is not only an attack against WCK, this is an attack on humanitarian organizations showing up in the most dire of situations where food is being used as a weapon of war,” said WCK CEO, Erin Gore. “This is unforgivable.”

We mourn the loss of lives connected to World Central Kitchen. We grieve that, as of March 22, at least 31,988 people have been killed in Gaza in the last five months. 

We lament the tragic loss of life. Again and again and again. And we grieve the implications for future aid getting to the hundreds of thousands of people whose lives depend on it. 

This tragedy is horrific. And it is avoidable. 

“The Israeli government needs to stop this indiscriminate killing,” said WCK Founder, José Andrés. “It needs to stop restricting humanitarian aid, stop killing civilians and aid workers, and stop using food as a weapon. No more innocent lives lost. Peace starts with our shared humanity. It needs to start now.”

In the name of the children,

in the name of humanity, 

in the name of too many lives lost: 

CEASEFIRE NOW.

We Belong to Each Other,

Together Rising