José Andrés mourns World Central Kitchen workers during National Cathedral service

A hero, a husband, a problem solver, a sister and a soccer player are just a few of the ways Chef José Andrés described the World Central Kitchen workers on Thursday who were killed earlier this month in Gaza in an Israeli airstrike.

“The seven souls we mourn today were there so that hungry people could eat,” a teary-eyed Andrés said to mourners at Washington National Cathedral. “They risk everything to feed people. In the worst moments, the best of humanity shows up.”

Andrés honored the workers during an hourlong service at Washington, D.C.’s National Cathedral, a site where funerals and memorial services have been held for past presidents and Supreme Court justices. Second gentleman Doug Emhoff attended the memorial, representing the Biden administration.

The aid workers memorialized were: Saifeddin Issam Ayad Abutaha of Palestine; John Chapman, James Henderson and James Kirby of Britain; Jacob Flickinger of the U.S. and Canada; Lalzawmi Frankcom of Australia and Damian Soból of Poland.

Andrés praised each worker during his remarks while taking a moment to pause and try to hold back tears while speaking about Frankcom, who he described as the “heart of World Central Kitchen.”

“Even one innocent life taken is one too many,” the Spanish-born chef said. “I know there are also many questions about why World Central Kitchen was in Gaza. We ask ourselves the same question day and night. We are all consumed with anger, regret and sorrow.”

On April 1, the seven workers were killed in Gaza after an Israeli strike against a convoy from World Central Kitchen, an aid organization led by Andrés that provides meals to civilians suffering from hunger due to conflicts.

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu admitted that an “unintentional” Israeli airstrike killed “innocent people” in Gaza, adding that “we will do everything so that this thing does not happen again.” Days later, the Israeli military dismissed two officers and reprimanded three others.

The attacks sparked worldwide condemnation from foreign leaders, with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk saying Israel is putting Poland’s solidarity to a “really hard test” and U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak telling Netanyahu that “the situation is increasingly intolerable” as aid workers continue to die in Gaza.

President Joe Biden said he was “outraged and heartbroken” by the deadly airstrikes and demanded a “swift” investigation into the incident that “would bring accountability.”

World Central Kitchen has paused its humanitarian efforts after the attack and called for an independent investigation. Nearly 200 humanitarian aid workers have been killed since the Israel-Hamas war began in October, according to the United Nations.

Andrés said Thursday that he expects world leaders to “live by the same standards set by these seven heroes.”

“Food can never be a weapon of war,” he said. “Humanitarians can never be targets because they are the best of us.”