From the pulpit of the Washington National Cathedral, José Andrés — the founder of the international relief organization World Central Kitchen — choked back tears.
The celebrity chef stood nearly 6,000 miles from Gaza, where an Israeli airstrike killed seven of his staff members earlier this month. One by one, Andrés brought the memory of each aid worker to life — demanding answers and action in the wake of their deaths.
“Food can never be a weapon of war. Humanitarians can never be targets,” said Andrés, speaking before hundreds at an interfaith memorial for the aid workers on Thursday. “They are the best of us, answering the call to serve on behalf of all humanity.”