International

Israel attacked the convoy of José Andrés’ NGO by “error” believing that members of Hamas were going

Last Monday’s attack by the Israeli Army on a convoy of the NGO of chef José Andrés, World Central Kitchen, was due to a “error” in believing that two armed militiamen from Hamas were traveling in it, so two commanders involved in the operation have been dismissed by the Chief of the General Staff.

This is the conclusion of the independent investigation commissioned to the Mechanism for Investigation and Evaluation of Facts by the Israeli Army, and after it became known, the Chief of the General Staff, Herzi Halevi, has dismissed the brigade’s fire support commander, an officer with the rank of major, and the chief of the brigade, a colonel on reserve.

The commanders of both the brigade and the 162ndª division, which operates in the center of the Strip, have also been admonded.

In addition, Halevi will “formally rebold” the head of the South Command, for “his general responsibility” in the incident.

“We take seriously the serious incident that claimed the lives of seven innocent humanitarian workers. We express our deep sorrow for the loss and send our condolences to the families and the WCK organization,” he said.

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According to that investigation, Israeli forces identified two “gunmen” in the aid trucks while the convoy was heading to a warehouse in Deir al Balah, and when the vehicles left the place after unloading, “one of the commanders mistakenly assumed that the gunmen were inside the vehicles and that they were Hamas terrorists.”

The result of the investigations was presented yesterday to the Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces, Herzi Halevi, and released this Friday, in which information sessions were also held with ambassadors and diplomatic corps.

“The troops did not identify the vehicles in question as associated with WCK. After an erroneous identification by the forces, they attacked the three vehicles by the NGO, based on the fact that Hamas agents were traveling in them,” the investigation states.

The attack on the humanitarian convoy of the American NGO World Central Kitchen (WCK), claimed the lives of seven of its employees: the Palestinian Saifeddin Ayad Abutaha, the Australian Lalzawmi Frankcom, the Polish Damian Soból, the Canadian-American Jacob Flickinger and the British John Chapman, James Henderson and James Kirby.

Although it was perfectly identified, the caravan was hit by three missiles fired by a drone, which was “a serious violation of the orders and standard operating procedures of the Israel Defense Forces,” the report concluded.

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“The findings of the investigation indicate that the incident should not have occurred. Those who approved the attack were convinced that their target was armed agents of Hamas and not employees of WCK,” said the FFAM, which also pointed out “errors in decision-making.”

The Israeli Army assured, on the other hand, that it considers the activity of humanitarian agencies in the Strip “of vital importance” and pledged to guarantee their security.

For the NGO World Central Kitchen, Israel “cannot credibly investigate its own failure” in the Gaza strip.

In a statement from the organization founded by Spanish chef José Andrés, it is demanded “the creation of an independent commission to investigate the murders of our colleagues from the WCK.”

“It is not enough to simply try to avoid more humanitarian deaths, which are now approaching 200,” José Andrés says in the statement.

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“It is necessary to protect all civilians and it is necessary to feed and protect all the innocent people of Gaza. And all the hostages must be released.”

For her part, Erin Gore, executive director of the NGO, pointed out that the apologies of the Israeli Army “for the scandalous murder of our colleagues represents little consolation.”

However, WCK highlighted the “important steps” taken by the Israeli Army by recognizing its responsibility and its mistakes in the deadly attack and by taking disciplinary measures against those in command.

Related Topics:Hamas Israël José Andrés

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Peruvian presidential candidate Napoleón Becerra dies in campaign road accident

Presidential candidate Napoleón Becerra, representing the Partido de los Trabajadores y Emprendedores (PTE) in Peru, died in a traffic accident while traveling to a campaign event, local authorities confirmed Sunday.

Becerra, who also served as president of the centrist political party, ranked among the lowest in opinion polls in a crowded field of more than 30 candidates competing in the presidential election scheduled for April 12.

Recent surveys place Rafael López Aliaga at the top of voter preferences.

The accident occurred near the town of Ayacucho, in southern Peru, when the vehicle carrying the candidate overturned for reasons that remain under investigation.

“The candidate Becerra has died,” Balvin Huamani, mayor of the district of Pilpichaca, told RPP radio.

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According to Huamani, he personally transported the 61-year-old candidate to a local health center, where doctors confirmed his death.

The Jurado Nacional de Elecciones (JNE) expressed condolences over Becerra’s passing and wished a speedy recovery to the three people who were traveling with him and were injured in the crash.

International

Noboa intensifies anti-cartel crackdown as violence persists in Ecuador

A close ally of Washington, Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa has pursued a hardline security strategy against cocaine cartels for more than two years, yet homicide, disappearance and extortion rates remain high across the country.

Between Sunday night and the morning of March 31, Ecuador’s armed forces will launch a “very strong offensive” with “advisory support” from the United States, Interior Minister John Reimberg announced Tuesday.

The government has kept details of the operation confidential and has not confirmed whether U.S. troops will be deployed on Ecuadorian soil, as has occurred at times during Noboa’s administration.

As part of the security measures, residents in the coastal provinces of Guayas, Los Ríos, Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, and El Oro will be subject to a nightly curfew from 11:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. local time for the next two weeks.

“We are in a war,” Reimberg said, urging citizens to remain indoors. “Do not take risks. Stay home and allow the security forces and our allies to do the work that must be done.”

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Although Ecuador does not produce cocaine, it has become a major departure point for drugs heading to the United States. Meanwhile, the violence associated with trafficking has increasingly affected the local population.

Bordering the world’s largest cocaine producers, Colombia and Peru, Ecuador has gone from being considered a relatively peaceful country to recording one of the highest homicide rates in Latin America—52 killings per 100,000 inhabitants—according to the **Observatory of Organized Crime.

International

Peruvian presidential candidate proposes death penalty amid crime surge

Peru is facing an unprecedented surge in crime ahead of its presidential election scheduled for April 12, with violence fueled by extortion networks and a wave of contract killings linked to organized crime.

Police data show that 2,200 homicides tied to organized crime were recorded in 2025, while extortion complaints increased by 19%, underscoring the growing security crisis in the South American nation.

Amid this backdrop, presidential candidate Álvarez has proposed reinstating the death penalty if elected, arguing that extreme measures are needed to curb the violence.

To implement the proposal, Álvarez said Peru would withdraw from the American Convention on Human Rights—also known as the Pact of San José—which the country signed in 1978. The agreement prevents member states that have abolished capital punishment from reinstating it.

Currently, Peruvian law only allows the death penalty in cases of treason during wartime.

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“We have to leave the Pact of San José and apply the death penalty in Peru because those miserable criminals don’t deserve to live,” Álvarez told AFP during a campaign stop at a market in Callao, the port city neighboring Lima.

“An iron fist against those criminals,” he added, proposing to declare hitmen as military targets.

During the campaign event, Álvarez walked through stalls selling vegetables, groceries, and fish, greeting vendors while musicians played cumbia music nearby.

The 62-year-old candidate, who spent more than four decades working in television as a comedian, is a newcomer to politics and is running for president under the País para Todos party.

Polls place him fifth in voter preference with nearly 4% support in a fragmented race featuring 36 candidates.