Lead Vehicle in an Anera-Coordinated Convoy Hit in an Attack en Route to Hospital. Four Killed.

August 30, 2024 | Rafah, Gaza - An Israeli airstrike yesterday killed four Palestinians in the lead vehicle of an Anera aid convoy carrying food and fuel to the Emirati Red Crescent Hospital. The coordinated and cleared transport plan called for unarmed security guards in the convoy, adhering to Anera's strict standing agreement with Move One, our transit company.

Shortly after departing Kerem Shalom, initial reports indicate that four community members with experience in previous missions and engagement in community security with Move One stepped forward and requested to take command of the leading vehicle, citing concern that the route was unsafe and at risk of being looted.

The four community members were neither vetted nor coordinated in advance, and Israeli authorities allege that the lead car was carrying numerous weapons. The Israeli airstrike was carried out without any prior warning or communication.

"According to all the information we have, this is a case of partners on the ground endeavoring to deliver aid successfully," says Anera President and CEO Sean Carroll. "This should not come at the cost of people's lives."

No Anera staff were harmed, though one Anera employee, who was in the second vehicle, witnessed the incident at close range.

Despite this attack, the remainder of the convoy continued its mission and successfully delivered the critical aid to the hospital. Anera has coordinated with the United Arab Emirates 24 prior shipments for the Emirati Red Crescent Hospital since May.

Anera is committed to ensuring the safety of all individuals involved in its operations and is conducting a thorough review of the incident. Anera and Move One are in close communication and are working together to determine all the facts.

For more information:
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Steven Fake
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About Anera
Since 1968, Anera has helped refugees and others hurt by conflicts in the Middle East live with dignity and purpose. Anera, which has no political or religious affiliation, works on the ground with partners in the West Bank, Gaza, East Jerusalem, Lebanon, and Jordan. We mobilize resources for immediate humanitarian relief and for sustainable health, education, and economic development efforts. Our staff are from the communities they serve, navigating the politics that constrict progress to get help where it's needed most. We will keep building better lives until hope finds its way in the Middle East.

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