- Kirby, a British aid worker has been killed in Gaza in April
- Family calls for an independent legal inquiry into his death
- Kirby was killed along with two other Britons
The family of James Kirby, a British aid worker killed in Gaza in April, is calling for an independent legal inquiry into his death.
Kirby was one of three Britons killed in Israeli drone strikes on an aid convoy.
The family has criticized the UK government for not being in touch since his death and expressed surprise at not receiving any contact or condolence from Israel’s ambassador to the UK or any Israeli official.
Ahead of a memorial service for Kirby at Bristol Cathedral, his cousin Louise Kirby spoke on behalf of the family, saying: “There must be a proper, independent inquiry into this attack on innocent aid workers… We need transparency and accountability, not only for our family but also so that other British citizens and their families know that their government will act for them if a foreign state unlawfully kills their loved ones.”
The Israeli embassy in London called the incident “a tragic mistake” and expressed “deepest sorrow” to Kirby’s family, stating that the IDF dismissed two people following an investigation.
However, the family remains unsatisfied, seeking a credible and independent investigation.
Kirby, a 47-year-old former serviceman, was killed along with two other Britons, John Chapman and James Henderson, while providing security for an aid convoy in Gaza.
The IDF claimed a drone operator mistakenly targeted the convoy, thinking it had been taken over by Hamas gunmen.
An internal investigation led to the dismissal of two officers and formal reprimands for two senior commanders.
