WASHINGTON — Second lieutenant Doug Emhoff will represent the Biden administration at Thursday’s memorial service for seven humanitarian aid workers Aid workers with World Central Kitchen those killed by Israeli air attack in Gaza this month.
An American charity run by celebrity chef José Andrés is set to hold an interfaith service at the Washington National Cathedral to “honor our heroes,” the group said in a release.
White House National Security Council Chief of Staff and Executive Secretary Curtis Reed is also expected to attend.
President Joe Biden will travel to Syracuse, New York, for an economic event on Thursday and will not be able to attend, though he has sent a letter to be read aloud, national security adviser Jake Sullivan said.
Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris contacted Andres to express their condolences after the April 1 aid workers were killed.
One of the seven workers, Jacob Flickinger, was a dual American and Canadian citizen. The others were from Britain, Australia and Poland, along with a Palestinian driver. Biden he said he was “angry”. with their deaths.
The Israel Defense Forces have released an initial investigation into how the military targeted aid workers, calling it a “serious mistake.” The investigation said “the incident should not have happened” and that those who approved the strike were “sure they were targeting armed Hamas operatives and not WCK staff”.
The White House has not yet offered to evaluate the report and said it is still reviewing the findings, according to a US official.
WCK called for an independent investigation.
Before the strike, WCK was poised to become a key partner in securing and distributing aid to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, many of whom face imminent starvation, according to experts. After the aid workers were killed, the humanitarian group pulled back all of its operations in Gaza and did not say when it might resume them.
Thursday’s memorial service will feature acclaimed cellist Yo-Yo Ma and several religious leaders will speak.
Emhoff partnered with Andrés to host an event at the White House in February aimed at ending hunger and promoting healthy eating nationwide.