The mother of a Canadian Army veteran killed during an attack on humanitarian workers in the Gaza Strip this week is rejecting Israel香蕉视频直播檚 explanation for what happened.
But Sylvie Labrecque, her voice filled with exhaustion and grief, says she remains hopeful that the deaths of her son Jacob Flickinger and six of his colleagues will lead to positive change for all aid workers and the people of Gaza.
香蕉视频直播淚 just feel good in a way that I feel that a lot of people are honouring Jacob in many different ways,香蕉视频直播� she said in an interview.
香蕉视频直播淪o I香蕉视频直播檓 hoping that there will be positive impact in terms of possibilities of stopping some of that killing.香蕉视频直播�
Flickinger, 33, was one of seven World Central Kitchen workers killed on April 1 when their convoy was attacked after it delivered 100 tonnes of food to a warehouse in Deir al-Balah.
A retired Israeli general investigated the attack and in published findings Friday blamed the attack on a breach of policy and a mistaken observation.
He said an Israel Defence Force colonel authorized a series of deadly drone strikes based on one major香蕉视频直播檚 observation 香蕉视频直播� from grainy drone-camera footage 香蕉视频直播� that someone in the convoy was armed. That observation turned out to be untrue, military officials said.
The authorization also broke IDF rules of engagement that require more than one reason for identifying someone as a target before they can be hit.
The colonel and the major were both dismissed and three other military officials reprimanded.
香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 a tragedy,香蕉视频直播� the military香蕉视频直播檚 spokesman, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, told reporters.
香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 a serious event that we are responsible for and it shouldn香蕉视频直播檛 have happened and we will make sure that it won香蕉视频直播檛 happen again.香蕉视频直播�
Labrecque said that the explanation rings hollow for her.
香蕉视频直播淭hey香蕉视频直播檙e denying that it香蕉视频直播檚 their fault,香蕉视频直播� she said.
香蕉视频直播淏ut I think that people can decide on whatever they think, but it香蕉视频直播檚 crap to me. For sure, it was absolutely meant in a way that that香蕉视频直播檚 what they wanted to do. They wanted to eliminate these workers, these humanitarian workers, in a way that they just don香蕉视频直播檛 want to feed the refugees. They want them to die, you know?香蕉视频直播�
The aid workers were travelling on a route approved by the Israel Defence Force to transfer food from a makeshift pier that World Central Kitchen built on the Gaza coast.
Flickinger, who served in Afghanistan in 2010 and retired from the Canadian military in 2019, joined World Central Kitchen last fall as a means to help him recover from PTSD. He had been in Gaza since early March.
He and his partner, Sandy Leclerc, lived in Costa Rica with their son, who is now 18 months old.
Also killed in the attack were Lalzawmi (Zomi) Frankcom, 43, from Australia; Polish national Damian Sobol, 35; Palestinian Saifeddin Issam Ayad Abutaha, 25; and John Chapman, 57, James Henderson, 33, and James Kirby, 47, all British citizens.
Their deaths sparked international outrage 香蕉视频直播� and even Israel香蕉视频直播檚 most ardent ally, the United States, has issued a stern rebuke and warning that future American support for the war is dependent on concrete steps to ensure the safety of aid workers and get more humanitarian aid into the territory.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu香蕉视频直播檚 office responded quickly, promising Friday to allow in more aid, including temporarily opening a key border crossing that was destroyed in the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attack which killed 1,200 Israelis.
That attack was the impetus for the escalated conflict that Israel insists is a war to eliminate Hamas, but which its critics contend has resulted in the indiscriminate bombing of innocents.
The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza says more than 33,000 Palestinians have died since Oct. 7.
In a statement Friday, World Central Kitchen said the Israel Defence Force 香蕉视频直播渄eployed deadly force without regard to its own protocols, chain of command and rules of engagement. The IDF has acknowledged that our teams followed all proper communications procedures. The IDF香蕉视频直播檚 own video fails to show any cause to fire on our personnel convoy, which carried no weapons and posed no threat.香蕉视频直播�
The organization is demanding an independent commission be appointed to dig further into the situation. It has suspended its work in Gaza since the tragedy unfolded.
香蕉视频直播淭he IDF cannot credibly investigate its own failure in Gaza,香蕉视频直播� said the statement.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Friday it wasn香蕉视频直播檛 clear yet if Israel香蕉视频直播檚 move to allow in more aid would satisfy Biden香蕉视频直播檚 demands on Israel. It is also not clear exactly what support Biden is threatening to withdraw.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said nothing justifies Hamas香蕉视频直播檚 attack on Israel last fall, but also, nothing justifies 香蕉视频直播渢he collective punishment香蕉视频直播� of the Palestinian people.
Guterres said it is too early to tell what impact Israel香蕉视频直播檚 move to allow in more aid will have, noting small changes are not enough to turn the tide on the 香蕉视频直播渁bsolutely desperate香蕉视频直播� situation in Gaza.
He said an independent investigation of the aid workers香蕉视频直播� deaths cannot take place without Israel香蕉视频直播檚 co-operation, but he said the question isn香蕉视频直播檛 just about what happened to them because this is not an isolated incident.
About 200 aid workers have been killed in Gaza since October.
香蕉视频直播淭he question is not only to know if some mistakes were committed,香蕉视频直播� Guterres said.
香蕉视频直播淭he question is the system that allows those mistakes to happen time and time again. It is the change of that system that is required, which implies a change in strategy and the procedures that the military are using in Gaza.香蕉视频直播�
On Thursday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau criticized Netanyahu for saying the aid worker deaths were a tragic mistake but something that happens in armed conflict. He also called for an independent probe into the incident.
He has not yet commented on the Israeli report.
For Flickinger香蕉视频直播檚 family, the coming days will bring no solace as they await the arrival of his body and prepare for his funeral.
Labrecque said Global Affairs Canada has been helping them and that her son香蕉视频直播檚 body is currently in Egypt but should be flown to Canada early next week.
香蕉视频直播淪ometimes I think that he was kind of like bigger than life,香蕉视频直播� she said.
香蕉视频直播淗e was so intense. But at the same time, he was working for a very good cause. And I香蕉视频直播檓 just hoping that, you know, all the interviews we香蕉视频直播檝e done these past two days, I香蕉视频直播檓 just hoping that it香蕉视频直播檚 going to be some kind of a waking call. There香蕉视频直播檚 got to be action done, not only talks, but let香蕉视频直播檚 do something about it.香蕉视频直播�
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