Gaza militants disguised themselves as WCK humanitarian staff
In recent times, there have been incidents of misidentification involving the humanitarian organisation, World Central Kitchen (WCK), in Gaza. These incidents have raised concerns about the safety and security of aid workers and prompted calls for better protection measures.
On August 12, 2025, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported eliminating five armed terrorists near a vehicle falsely marked with the WCK logo in Gaza’s Deir al-Balah area. The terrorists wore yellow vests resembling those of aid workers to evade detection and target Israeli forces. WCK confirmed no connection to this vehicle, condemning the misuse of their humanitarian emblem.
This misuse of WCK's emblem is not an isolated incident. In April of 2024, seven WCK aid workers were tragically killed in an Israeli air strike in Gaza. The vehicle and persons involved were not affiliated with WCK. These incidents underscore the extreme dangers faced by humanitarian workers operating in conflict zones like Gaza and sparked criticism about the lack of sufficient measures to guarantee aid worker security.
The misuse of humanitarian symbols endangers civilians by undermining trust in aid organisations. Authorities like the IDF have engaged with WCK representatives to verify incidents involving fake emblems and to condemn the instrumentalisation of humanitarian symbols.
The reduction of funding for security risk management by major donors like the United States and United Kingdom weakens the capacity to protect these workers. Restoring such support is seen as essential to improving safety protocols and risk assessments for humanitarian personnel in volatile areas.
In response to these incidents, measures to protect WCK and other aid workers in Gaza include stronger coordination with military forces to avoid misidentification, securing humanitarian emblems against misuse, and advocating for stable funding to maintain security operations for aid groups.
However, the persistent misuse of humanitarian symbols by armed groups and ongoing hostilities keep aid workers at significant risk. The UN, along with WCK, has condemned the detention of dozens of aid workers by various parties in Gaza. The IDF has also stated that the terrorists cynically exploited the status and trust afforded to aid organisations.
WCK strongly condemns anyone posing as WCK or other humanitarians as this endangers civilians and aid workers. In December of 2024, WCK dismissed dozens of Palestinian Arab staff members working in Gaza after Israel said that at least 62 of them had links to terrorist groups.
The safety and security of WCK teams are the organisation's top priority. As the conflict in Gaza continues, it is crucial that all parties involved prioritise the protection of aid workers to ensure the delivery of essential services to those in need.
This summary draws on recent 2025 reports regarding misuse of WCK’s emblem by militants and the impact on aid worker safety in Gaza.
[1] IDF Press Release, August 12, 2025. [2] WCK Statement, August 12, 2025. [3] UN OCHA Report, April 2024. [4] Humanitarian Policy Group Report, December 2024. [5] Amnesty International Report, April 2024.
- In the context of war-and-conflicts and general-news, the misuse of World Central Kitchen's (WCK) emblem by armed groups in Gaza has raised concerns about the safety and security of aid workers, with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reporting the elimination of five armed terrorists near a vehicle falsely marked with the WCK logo in Gaza’s Deir al-Balah area.
- In the realm of politics and crime-and-justice, the detention of dozens of aid workers, including WCK staff in Gaza, by various parties has been condemned by the UN, and there have been calls for increased efforts to ensure the priority of aid worker protection and safe delivery of essential services in conflict zones.
