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Chef José Andrés, the founder of the food charity World Central Kitchen (WCK), has accused the Israeli military of targeting his organization’s workers after an airstrike killed seven volunteers.

The attack occurred on Monday when a convoy of WCK vehicles, having just left a warehouse where they dropped off food aid, was hit multiple times. This convoy was traveling in a “deconflicted zone,” a route that had been previously approved by the Israeli military.

“This was not just a bad luck situation where ‘oops’ we dropped the bomb in the wrong place,” Andrés said, expressing his belief that the strike was a systematic targeting of their humanitarian mission. Despite not being in coordination with the Israeli military at the time of the attack, Andrés said it was unacceptable to target civilians and humanitarian workers, stressing that such actions are not in line with the values of any democratic nation or its military practices.

The volunteers who lost their lives were from diverse backgrounds, including Australia, Poland, the United Kingdom, Palestine, and a dual citizen of the US and Canada.

Following the attack, Andrés spoke with President Biden, urging an increase in pressure on Netanyahu to bring an end to the ongoing war. He has been vocal about his demands for the Israeli government to cease its “indiscriminate killing” and ensure no more innocent lives are lost. The White House, through press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, stated that President Biden thanked Andrés for his charity’s significant contributions.

The Israeli military has since taken responsibility for the airstrike, citing miscommunication and incorrect intelligence that suggested the presence of a Hamas militant among the WCK group.