An Australian humanitarian worker has reportedly been killed in an airstrike in Gaza.
The airstrike killed four aid workers who were in Gaza with the World Central Kitchen charity, Gaza health officials said.
Video footage posted to social media showed the bodies of the five dead at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in the central Gaza town of Deir al-Balah.
Staff showed the passports of three of the dead – British, Australian and Polish. The nationality of the fourth aid worker was not immediately known. All of the workers killed were wearing protective gear with the charity’s logo on it.
A spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said they were working urgently to confirm the news.
“The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is urgently seeking to confirm reports that an Australian aid worker has died in Gaza,” the spokesperson said.
“These reports are very distressing.
“We have been clear on the need for civilian lives to be protected in this conflict.
“We have been very clear that we expect humanitarian workers in Gaza to have safe and unimpeded access to do their lifesaving work.”
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told the ABC he was concerned by the news.
“I’m very concerned about the loss of life that is occurring in Gaza,” he said.
“My Government has supported a sustainable ceasefire, we’ve called for the release of hostages, and there have been far too many innocent lives – Palestinian and Israeli – lost during the Gaza Hamas conflict.”
World Central Kitchen confirmed the attack on X, formerly Twitter.
“We are aware of reports that members of the World Central Kitchen team have been killed in an IDF attack while working to support our humanitarian food delivery efforts in Gaza.”
“This is a tragedy. Humanitarian aid workers and civilians should NEVER be a target. EVER.”
