WARSAW, Poland – The Polish government condemned the killing of a Polish aid worker by Israeli airstrikes in Gaza, calling it murder and demanding Israel’s cooperation in a Polish investigation. The death of Damian Soból, 35, and six other aid workers from the World Central Kitchen charity distributing food in Gaza on April 1 was described as “shocking and disturbing” by Deputy Foreign Minister Władysław Teofil Bartoszewski.
Poland expects full cooperation from Israel in the investigation initiated by Polish prosecutors in Soból’s hometown of Przemyśl. The prosecutors have classified the incident as murder. Israel conducted a quick probe and took responsibility for the deaths but deemed the attack a tragic mistake. The Israeli military disciplined officers involved in the incident, dismissed two, and reprimanded three for violating engagement rules.
During a parliamentary debate, lawmakers in Poland argued that the killings should be treated as a war crime. Bartoszewski expressed dissatisfaction with the dismissals and disciplinary actions, insisting that the case be overseen by an independent court in Israel. Poland is collaborating with Australia, Britain, Canada, and the United States, whose citizens were also killed, to push for a detailed investigation into the targeting of humanitarian convoys by the Israeli army.
The attack on the aid workers in Gaza was viewed as a violation of international defense rules. Bartoszewski stressed Poland’s demand for compensation for Soból’s family and the repatriation of his body. The incident has sparked international outrage and calls for accountability and justice in the tragic event that led to the loss of innocent lives.