Jerusalem [Israel], April 3: Israel faces growing international pressure over an air strike which killed seven aid workers for charity World Central Kitchen (WCK) in Gaza.
The UK, Poland, Australia, Canada and the US, whose nationals died in the attack, demanded Israel investigate.
Humanitarian aid to Gaza is now in doubt, with WCK - one of the main providers of aid to the Strip - suspending its operations.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog apologised for the deaths.
Three of the killed aid workers were British nationals. A Polish national, an Australian, a Palestinian and a dual US-Canadian citizen were also killed. The IDF has promised an independent investigation into the incident.
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday. On the call he described the situation in Gaza as "increasingly intolerable" and "demanded a thorough and transparent independent investigation" into the killing of the aid workers.
Mr Sunak added that Israel needed to end restrictions on humanitarian aid and protect civilians, according to a Downing Street statement.
White House spokesman John Kirby said he was "outraged" at the strike. US President Joe Biden was "heartbroken", Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters.
Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said he had demanded an independent investigation from Israel Katz, his Israeli counterpart.
Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said she expected "full accountability" for the killings, adding that strikes on humanitarian personnel were "absolutely unacceptable".
"Someone going about providing aid and humanitarian assistance should [never] lose their life," Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said.Mr Netanyahu acknowledged that Israel's forces hit "innocent people" and pledged an independent investigation.
"Unfortunately, in the last 24 hours there was a tragic case of our forces unintentionally hitting innocent people in the Gaza Strip," he said.
"It happens in war, we check it to the end, we are in contact with the governments, and we will do everything so that this thing does not happen again."
WCK - founded by celebrity chef Jose Andres - said four days ago that it had served 42 million meals in Gaza.
The charity said it would pause its operations in the region immediately. "We will be making decisions about the future of our work soon," the charity said in a statement.
It said on 29 March that it had served more than 42 million meals in the Strip, making it one of the main suppliers of aid to Gaza. The charity said that it had dispatched a total of more than 1,700 food trucks to the Strip.
The charity added that it had sent close to 435,000 meals by sea to Gaza.
Source: Fijian Broadcasting Corporation
