US-POLITICS-JEAN-PIERRE-BRIEFING
(Photo : ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images)
US National Security Council (NSC) spokesman John Kirby speaks during the daily briefing in the Brady Briefing Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on November 20, 2023.

The White House said it was "outraged" to learn that the Israeli Defense Forces killed seven aid workers, including one American, during an airstrike in the besieged Gaza Strip.

"We were outraged to learn of an IDF strike that killed a number of civilian humanitarian workers yesterday from the World Central Kitchen," said White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby during a Tuesday press conference.

"[World Central Kitchen] has been relentless in working to get food to those who hungry in Gaza and quite frankly around the world."

Kirby added that the White House sent it "deepest condolences" to the victims' loved ones.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu admitted that his military was responsible for the killing of three British nationals, one Australian, one Palestinian, one Pole and one American-Canadian citizen.

"Unfortunately, in the last day there was a tragic case of our forces unintentionally hitting innocent people in the Gaza Strip," Netanyahu said.

"It happens in war; we are fully examining this. We are in contact with the governments, and we will do everything so that this thing does not happen again."

The organization, which was founded by Spanish-American Chef Jose Andres, has been actively engaged in Gaza relief efforts since Israel started began bombarding the region after the Oct. 7 attacks.

WCK played a significant role in the transportation of 200 tons of food and water to the enclave.

National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said the U.S. was "heartbroken and deeply troubled" by the strike in a statement on X.

Andres wrote on X that he was heartbroken, describing the victims as "angels."

"The Israeli government needs to stop this indiscriminate killing," he said.