By Marlyn Montilla
03 Apr 2024, 09:32 AM EDT
The three Britons, who died after an attack by an Israeli drone on a humanitarian convoy of the NGO World Central Kitchen (WCK), were former military personnel and worked for a British security services agency, the United Kingdom media indicated.
The three men, of a group of seven who lost their lives, were officially identified as John Chapman, 57; James Henderson, 33, and James Kirby, 47.
Likewise, The Sun newspaper revealed that the three former soldiers were hired by the security company Solace Global based in Poole, southwest England.
WCK, founded in 2010 by Spanish chef José Andrés, said in a statement that Chapman, Henderson and Kirby were members of its security team.
The rest of the people who died in the Israeli attack were identified as Saifeddin Issam Ayad Abutaha, a 25-year-old Palestinian; the 43-year-old Australian, Lalzawmi Frankcom; Damian Soból, 35-year-old Pole; and Jacob Flickinger, a 33-year-old dual citizen of the United States and Canada.
According to The Sun, Chapman was part of the SBS counter-terrorism unit in the British Navy, while Henderson was in the Navy and Kirby was in the Army.
The Times reported that Henderson arrived in Gaza for his first mission on March 27 and was on a list to leave the Strip on the same day of the attack, April 1.
For his part, Chapman entered the Palestinian territory on March 22, according to the media.
The governments of all countries have categorically rejected Israel’s drone attack on foreign aid workers, which joins the list of dead humanitarian workers, reaching 200, since October 7, according to the UN.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said it was a mistake and his authorities are investigating the facts.