The presidents of the European Commission and the European Council on Tuesday condemned the killing of seven World Central Kitchen (WCK) employees in a suspected Israeli airstrike in Gaza.

“I pay homage to the [WCK] aid workers who lost their lives in Gaza,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.

Von der Leyen said WCK “is a crucial partner in alleviating the suffering of the people of Gaza, including by channelling food via the Maritime Corridor. My deepest condolences to their families and friends.”

Charles Michel, president of the European Council, said on X: “It’s long time overdue to stop the slaughter of innocent civilians and humanitarian workers. There should be an investigation and the perpetrators held accountable.”

The European Commission’s official X account posted: “We are mourning with the families and friends of the [WCK] humanitarian aid workers who lost their lives in Gaza. Humanitarian aid workers must always be protected, in line with international humanitarian law. We call for a thorough investigation into this tragedy.”