Food aid worker with South Florida ties among 7 killed in Israeli strike; GEM to continue donations to Gaza
DORAL, FLA. (WSVN) - Following the Israeli airstrike that killed seven aid workers in Gaza, more details are being released on the American killed, includingRead More Israeli airstrikes have killed seven aid workers in Gaza, including an American-Canadian dual citizen named Jacob Flickinger, who was delivering food aid to starving families in Gaza. His father, John, is the founder of Breakthrough Miami, a nonprofit that helps children from marginalized backgrounds. The tragedy has led World Central Kitchen founder José Andrés to accuse Israel of deliberately targeting the aid convoy. Despite the airstrikes, Global Empowerment Mission CEO Michael Capponi, who has been helping both sides of the war since the beginning, said they won't stop their aid deliveries. Capponia also expressed concern over the destruction of Israel's economy and the need to continue aid deliveries due to the destruction.
Published : a month ago by Jessica Vallejo, Kevin Boulandier in Weather
DORAL, FLA. (WSVN) - Following the Israeli airstrike that killed seven aid workers in Gaza, more details are being released on the American killed, including his connection to South Florida.
Jacob Flickinger, an American-Canadian dual citizen, was one of the victims of the food aid convoy blast. Flickinger was a father of a 1-year-old and lived in Costa Rica with his partner.
His father, John Flickinger, is the founder of Breakthrough Miami, a nonprofit that helps children from marginalized background. He posted a heartfelt message on Facebook that read, “My son, Jacob, was killed Monday delivering food aid to starving families in Gaza … He is survived by his partner and infant son. Please help them if you can as we navigate through this heartbreaking tragedy.”
The tragedy prompted World Central Kitchen founder José Andrés to accuse Israel of deliberately launching the airstrikes.
“We were targeted, deliberately. None stopped until everybody was dead in this convoy,” said Andrés.
Andrés said his organization would stop the aid trucks for now.
Israeli military officials said the strike was a grave mistake.
“The strike was not carried out with the intention of harming WCK aid workers. It was a mistake that followed a mis-identification at night, during the war, in very complex conditions,” said Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, the chief of staff of the Israeli military.
Still, despite the airstrikes, Global Empowerment Mission CEO Michael Capponi, who has been helping both regions of the war since the beginning, said they won’t stop their aid deliveries.
“Israel has allowed more to come in. The problem is the entire economy is completely destroyed, so it’s not self-sustaining anymore, so you can’t live off 120 trucks to feed 2 million people,” said Capponi. “We can’t halt due to the circumstance like this. We’re extremely sad for what happened and obviously concerned.”
Capponi said he’s been on the complex roads that Israel described while on aid mission deliveries.
“At 11 o’clock at night. Not all drones can see color and see what’s going on, right? So, I’m not defending anybody, but it’s really important to understand that,” said Capponi.
Capponi said his organization has donated hundreds of thousands of items to Israel and Gaza and they hope to continue donating many more. For more information, click here.
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