A still photo from a video published by the IDF Spokesperson’s Office shows armed terrorists disguised as World Central Kitchen workers gathered around a car displaying the organization’s logo.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced on August 12 that it had eliminated terrorists who were disguised as members of World Central Kitchen (WCK), an aid group assisting Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip. Evidence has emerged throughout the war between Israel and Hamas that members of armed factions have infiltrated non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and worked under the cover of humanitarian organizations.

“The IDF announces that in a targeted airstrike last week, five armed terrorists were eliminated while near a vehicle marked with the emblem of the international humanitarian aid organization ‘World Central Kitchen’ (WCK), despite having no affiliation with the organization, and while posing a threat to our troops. The terrorists deliberately affixed the emblem and wore yellow vests in an attempt to conceal their activity and avoid being targeted, cynically exploiting the status and trust afforded to aid organizations,” the IDF said.

‼️ Armed Terrorists Operated Undercover in WCK Vehicle: Five armed terrorists were eliminated in Deir al-Balah while near a vehicle marked with the “World Central Kitchen” emblem. The terrorists wore yellow vests in an attempt to conceal their activity and avoid being targeted.… pic.twitter.com/bXgHqumFx6 — Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) August 12, 2025

The Israeli military noted that it verified with the WCK that the vehicle was not affiliated with the non-profit group.

The WCK stated that it condemned persons who disguised themselves as WCK staff or other humanitarians, as the act “endangers civilians and aid workers.”

On August 11, Al Jazeera published a video titled, “The moment the Israeli occupation targeted a civilian vehicle with a second missile in the Al-Baraka area of Deir al-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip.” The video shows a crowd standing near a burning vehicle, followed by a missile strike. The description of the location in the video, including the date it was published, indicates it is the vehicle with the WCK logo that the IDF said it attacked.

Evidence of terrorists working for NGOs

Terrorists who exploit NGOs or work for non-profits as a cover for their activities have a precedent in Gaza. For example, there is extensive evidence of terrorists who worked for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) and participated in the October 7, 2023, attack in southern Israel, as well as various other NGOs in Gaza.

Evidence published on social media on May 29 demonstrates that Khalil al Baz, a deceased commander of the Palestinian Mujahideen Movement, worked for a charity called “Aqsa Working Group.” Although it is unclear what role he played in the organization, he was active within it in 2024 and featured in its promotional materials.

In addition, open-source information shows that Hossam Mansour, a platoon commander for Hamas’s internal security force who was killed by the IDF last year, met with United Nations officials while working for an NGO in Gaza called the Al Khair Foundation.

Other organizations, such as the Holy Land Foundation, Al-Aqsa Foundation, Al Weam Charitable Society, and El Baraka Association for Charitable and Humanitarian Work, demonstrate additional ties between Palestinian terrorists and charities.

The IDF emphasized that it will continue to coordinate with humanitarian organizations to verify their activities in Gaza. As of Tuesday, there has been no claim by terrorist groups in the territory that their fighters were involved in the WCK incident.

Joe Truzman is an editor and senior research analyst at FDD’s Long War Journal focused primarily on Palestinian armed groups and non-state actors in the Middle East.

Aid organizations, as they call themselves, are not giving up on their

“starvation” campaign

. Together with the “genocide” campaign, they have succeeded in driving Israel’s international standing to its lowest point in history. But how much of these campaigns is based on outright lies that the media uncritically amplify? On Thursday,

104 organizations published a joint statement claiming Israel is preventing them from delivering aid and imposing excessive preconditions

We’re pausing our live coverage

We’re pausing our coverage for now but we’ll be back soon with more updates from Gaza.

Earlier, New Zealand’s prime minister Christopher Luxon said Benjamin Netanyahu had “lost the plot”.

He also told reporters the lack of humanitarian aid, forceful displacement of people and military occupation in Gaza are appalling.

It came as Britain and 26 other nations said the humanitarian crisis in Gaza was at “unimaginable levels”.

The statement was signed by the foreign ministers of Australia, Belgium, Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Japan, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK.

Here are the other key lines from today:

The Israel Defense Forces eliminated five armed terrorists who posed as workers for the World Central Kitchen organization that is helping feed people in Gaza. The World Central Kitchen itself corroborated the IDF claim.

The IDF released the following statement, headed, “Armed Terrorists Operated Under the Cover of a Fake Emblem of an International Organization Placed on a Vehicle in the Gaza Strip – And Were Eliminated From the Air.”

The IDF announces that in a targeted airstrike last week, five armed terrorists were eliminated while near a vehicle marked with the emblem of the international humanitarian aid organization “World Central Kitchen” (WCK), despite having no affiliation with the organization, and while posing a threat to our troops. The terrorists deliberately affixed the emblem and wore yellow vests in an attempt to conceal their activity and avoid being targeted, cynically exploiting the status and trust afforded to aid organizations. Representatives from COGAT’s Gaza District Coordination and Liaison Office verified the information with the WCK organization, which confirmed that the vehicle seen in the Gaza Strip bearing the organization’s emblem had no connection to its operations. In recent days, the vehicle was identified in the Deir al-Balah area, with several armed terrorists nearby that posed a threat to the troops located in the area. In response, an Israeli Air Force aircraft eliminated the terrorists. Hamas and other terrorist organizations exploit the humanitarian effort to advance terrorist objectives at the expense of the welfare of the population in Gaza. The IDF, through COGAT, will continue to work in cooperation with international aid organizations to prevent their exploitation for terrorist purposes.

Israel then released footage of the armed terrorists who used a vehicle marked with the WCK emblem.

❗️WATCH: 5 armed terrorists operating within a vehicle marked with a fake “World Central Kitchen” emblem, despite having no affiliation with the organization. They wore yellow vests and cynically exploited the trust given to aid groups to conceal their activity.@cogatonline… pic.twitter.com/fiKHqKSXFK — LTC Nadav Shoshani (@LTC_Shoshani) August 12, 2025

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The World Central Kitchen released this statement on X:

WCK was contacted by Israel’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), and confirmed the vehicle and persons of interest were not affiliated with WCK. We strongly condemn anyone posing as WCK or other humanitarians as this endangers civilians and aid workers. The safety and security of our teams are our top priority.

WCK was contacted by Israel’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), and confirmed the vehicle and persons of interest were not affiliated with WCK. We strongly condemn anyone posing as WCK or other humanitarians as this endangers civilians and aid… https://t.co/unCohUdyu8 — World Central Kitchen (@WCKitchen) August 12, 2025

The Israeli military says five Hamas terrorists were in a vehicle with fake World Central Kitchen markings.

A Washington, D.C.-based aid group, World Central Kitchen, is “strongly condemning” Hamas after video released by the Israel Defense Forces showed armed members of the terrorist group pretending to be workers with the group as cover at Gaza.

The IDF released the video on Tuesday showing five armed men driving in a vehicle at Deir al-Balah with the logo of World Central Kitchen on its roof. “They wore yellow vests and cynically exploited the trust given to aid groups to conceal their activity,” Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani said on X.

‼️ Armed Terrorists Operated Undercover in WCK Vehicle: Five armed terrorists were eliminated in Deir al-Balah while near a vehicle marked with the “World Central Kitchen” emblem. The terrorists wore yellow vests in an attempt to conceal their activity and avoid being targeted.… pic.twitter.com/bXgHqumFx6 — Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) August 12, 2025

The military says the five occupants of the vehicle were “eliminated” in an air strike. “This cynical abuse of humanitarian symbols is a tactic used by Hamas & other terror groups to shield themselves and advance their attacks at the expense of Gazan civilians,” the IDF said.

World Central Kitchen says it was contacted by Israeli officials earlier this week and confirmed the vehicle and the people who were inside were not affiliated with the aid group.

“We strongly condemn anyone posing as WCK or other humanitarians as this endangers civilians and aid workers. The safety and security of our teams are our top priority,” the group said in a release.

Safety is a key concern for the group after an unintended Israeli airstrike killed seven of the group’s staffers in April 2024. Founder José Andrés — whose charity operates in several countries wracked by wars or natural disasters, including Israel after the October 7 attack — said he was “heartbroken” by the deaths.

The aid group is currently preparing hot meals at its Deir Al-Balah Field Kitchen, as well as baking bread and distributing clean potable water at Gaza. World Central Kitchen says it is also supporting about 25 community kitchens around the Strip.

World Central Kitchen’s workers are cooking about 90,000 meals per day, depending on supplies. That is down from 170,000 at the start of the year.