The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said Tuesday it killed five armed men posing as workers for the U.S.-based aid group World Central Kitchen (WCK) in central Gaza last week.
The strike in Deir al-Balah occurred after troops spotted the group near a vehicle marked with the WCK logo. According to the IDF, the terrorists wore yellow vests typically worn by WCK staff to disguise their activities and avoid being targeted.
The operation followed WCK’s confirmation to the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, Israel’s civilian affairs unit for Gaza, that the vehicle and men were not part of its operations.
Footage released by the military shows the operatives before being hit by an Israeli drone.
‼️ Armed Terrorists Operated Undercover in WCK Vehicle: Five armed terrorists were eliminated in Deir al-Balah while near a vehicle marked with the “World Central Kitchen” emblem. The terrorists wore yellow vests in an attempt to conceal their activity and avoid being targeted.… pic.twitter.com/bXgHqumFx6
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) August 12, 2025
The IDF believes Hamas was behind the incident, saying: “this cynical abuse of humanitarian symbols is a tactic used by Hamas and other terror groups to shield themselves and advance their attacks at the expense of Gazan civilians.”
Separately, the IDF said a drone strike in Deir al-Balah on Monday targeted several Palestinian Islamic Jihad operatives. While the military provided no further details, Palestinian media reported that five people were killed.
כוחות צה”ל ממשיכים לפעול ברצועת עזה: כוחות צוות הקרב של חטיבה 188 השמידו מבנה ממנו שוגרו פצמ”רים לעבר כוחותינו
כוחות צה״ל בפיקוד הדרום ממשיכים לפעול בהכוונת אמ״ן ושב”כ נגד ארגוני הטרור ברחבי רצועת עזה.
כלי טיס של חיל האוויר תקפו אתמול במרחב דיר אל-באלח, בהכוונה מודיעינית של… pic.twitter.com/cLaPuC8NDG
— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) August 12, 2025
Fighting continued across Gaza on Tuesday. In Khan Younis, the IDF said its 188th Armored Brigade came under mortar fire and used a drone to hit the launch site. “The IDF and Shin Bet will continue to operate resolutely against terrorists of terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip,” the IDF wrote on X.
The Gaza Health Ministry said that 89 Palestinians were killed in Israeli strikes over the past 24 hours in Gaza City, Khan Younis, and Mawasi.
