US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, in the context of a phone call he made with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, the night before last, expressed his anger at the Israeli army’s launching of an air strike in Gaza that resulted in the killing of 7 employees of the international relief organization “World Central Kitchen” [“The Kitchen” World Central Bank"] and warned of its impact on future operations in the Gaza Strip.

A statement issued by the US Department of Defense said that Austin also called for immediate concrete steps to protect relief workers and the Palestinian civilian population in the Gaza Strip, in light of what he described as the repeated failure to coordinate with foreign relief organizations. Austin also urged Gallant to conduct a prompt and transparent investigation, share its findings publicly, and hold those responsible accountable. He warned him that this tragedy reinforced the expressed concern about any possible Israeli military operation in Rafah, with particular emphasis on the need to ensure the evacuation of the Palestinian civilian population and the flow of humanitarian aid.

The statement indicated that Austin stressed the importance of the "World Central Kitchen" organization, and that he informed Gallant that the incident impedes the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.

The statement also indicated that Austin urged the Israeli Defense Minister to press for a rapid increase in aid coming through all crossings in the coming days, especially to areas at risk of famine in the northern Gaza Strip.

According to the statement, Gallant briefed Austin on the “Global Central Kitchen” incident and stressed that a comprehensive and transparent investigation is being conducted, and its conclusions will be shared with partners and lessons applied by the security establishment.

The two ministers also discussed the latest developments in the war against Hamas and the ongoing efforts to ensure the return of 130 Israelis who were kidnapped on October 7, 2023 and are still detained in the Gaza Strip.