National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby told reporters Friday that there are "no plans" for the United States to conduct an independent or separate investigation into the Israeli strike that killed seven aid workers with World Central Kitchen in Gaza.
Kirby made the comments as the White House looked to clarify Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s remarks earlier Friday calling for an “independent, thorough, and fully publicized investigation” into the strike. The White House said he was referring to the Israeli report on the strike that was later released.
“Secretary Blinken did refer to an independent investigation but that was before, he was referring to the one that they were working on. And he said that before Israel came out with a report that we are now examining,” Kirby told reporters on Friday.
Before leaving Belgium and after the Israeli report on the strike had been released, Blinken added that the US is reviewing the report on the deadly strike “very carefully.”
“It's very important that Israel is taking full responsibility for this incident. It's also important that it appears to be taking steps to hold those responsible accountable,” Blinken said in remarks before departing Belgium.
World Central Kitchen has called for further independent investigations into the strike, saying Israel cannot be trusted to investigate its own errors in Gaza.