canadian tourist killed in mexico 2022

Canadian couple found murdered in Mexico resort town of Playa del Carmen

Male victim was wanted by Interpol

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Two Canadian citizens, a man and a woman, have been killed at the beach resort of Playa del Carmen on Mexico’s Caribbean coast, authorities said on Tuesday.

A senior state official told Reuters the man, whose identity has not been made public, was wanted by Interpol.

“He was not a tourist,” the official said, adding that the man had been in hiding in Mexico for about four years. Local papers have identified the man as a Quebec native who first entered the country in 2016.

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The killings in the state of Quintana Roo follow the fatal shooting in January of two Canadians with criminal records in nearby Cancun.

Investigators searched the apartment where the bodies were found and discovered the male victim had IDs with three different names.

Mexican media said the victims had had their throats cut, citing a local police report. The Quintana Roo attorney general’s office said the two had suffered knife injuries, but did not immediately reply to requests for further comment.

Their bodies were found in local accommodation and a third person, a man, also was injured, the office said.

Canada’s embassy in Mexico confirmed the deceased were Canadian citizens and said it was in contact with local authorities. It said it could not reveal further information at this time.

Playa del Carmen has been hit by several instances of violence involving foreigners, most recently in January, when two Canadians were killed at a local resort, apparently because of debts between international drug and weapons trafficking gangs.

In March, police in Playa del Carmen found the bodies of four men dumped near a housing development. The fact the bodies were left together in the shrubs beside an access road suggested a gangland-style killing.

There has been a series of brazen acts of violence elsewhere along Mexico’s resort-studded Mayan Riviera coast, the crown jewel of the country’s tourism industry.

In November, a shootout on the beach of Puerto Morelos, just north of Playa del Carmen, left two suspected drug dealers dead. Authorities said some 15 gunmen were from a gang that apparently disputed control of drug sales there.

In late October, farther south in the laid-back destination of Tulum, two tourists — one a California travel blogger born in India and the other German — were caught in the apparent crossfire of rival drug dealers and killed.

Murders in the resort state have nearly quadrupled since 2016, to about 37 per 100,000 residents.

Additional reporting from Associated Press and National Post

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2 Canadian guests dead, 1 injured after shooting at luxury hotel in Mexico, authorities say

Two Canadian guests are dead and another injured after a Friday shooting at a luxury hotel in Mexico, officials announced on Twitter last week. 

According to Lucio Hernández Gutiérrez , state public security of Quintana Roo, the shooting took place at the Hotel Xcaret México, an upscale and all-inclusive resort costing several hundred dollars a night. It's nestled in Playa del Carmen, a tourist town along the Caribbean coastline of Mexico.

On Friday afternoon, Hernández Gutiérrez said on Twitter that one of the guests died in the hospital. State officials later revealed that a second tourist died from the shooting.

The Quintana Roo state prosecutor's office said via Twitter that the suspect in the shooting was also apparently a guest and Canadian police informed them he was a known felon with a long record related to robbery, drug and weapons offenses. The office said both of the dead also had criminal records.

Hernández Gutiérrez tweeted photos of the  suspected shooter , that showed a man in a light blue tracksuit wielding a gun. Another photo shows a man sitting under a beach umbrella.

Police and security officials are requesting information that may help with his arrest.

SHOOTING IN CANCUN:  Two men killed in shooting at resort near Cancun, authorities say

The shooting is the latest act of violence along Mexico's Mayan Riviera, a hotspot of its tourism industry.

In November, a shootout on the beach of Puerto Morelos left two suspected drug dealers dead. Authorities said there were some 15 shoots from a gang that apparently disputed control of drug sales there.

In late October, farther south in the laidback destination of Tulum, two tourists — one a California travel blogger born in India and the other German — were caught in the apparent crossfire of rival drug dealers and killed.

Following those events, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador sent nearly 1,500 members of the National Guard to reinforce security in the area.

Contributing: The Associated Press

Follow Michelle Shen on Twitter @michelle_shen10. 

Debt dispute probably sparked killing of two Canadians in Mexico

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• Two Canadians killed near Cancun last week had debts linked to criminal histories
• An employee was killed in a trendy Playa del Carmen beach restaurant in separate incident on Tuesday

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Coral reefs suffer fourth global bleaching event, noaa says.

Along coastlines from Australia to Kenya to Mexico, many of the world's colorful coral reefs have turned a ghostly white in what scientists said on Monday amounted to the fourth global bleaching event in the last three decades.

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Two Canadians are killed in shooting at Mexican beach resort

MEXICO CITY — Two Canadians were fatally shot and another was wounded at a hotel in Playa del Carmen on Friday afternoon, the latest attack at Mexican beach resorts that have been rattled by organized crime violence.

The secretary of security in Quintana Roo state, Lucio Hernández Gutiérrez, said in a tweet that the violence erupted after an “argument between hotel guests.” He said he had been informed by Canadian authorities that both victims had criminal records. The shooting occurred at the Hotel Xcaret, an all-inclusive resort near an eco-park popular with tourists that features snorkeling, swimming with dolphins and nature activities.

Tourist drug demand is bringing violence to Mexico's most popular resorts

In another tweet, the security chief appealed for information about a gunman shown in a photo wearing a light gray sweatshirt and sweatpants firing a pistol in what appeared to be the leafy patio of the hotel.

Este es el huésped que disparó ocasionando las lesiones que posteriormente provocaran la muerte a uno de ellos, las autoridades del grupo de coordinacion despliegan fuerte operativo para su captura, cualquier información para pronta detención estaremos profundamente agradecidos. pic.twitter.com/PRDC0hhBBe — Lucio Hernández Gutiérrez (@Lucio_HG) January 21, 2022

Video apparently shot at the hotel and spread on social media showed bodies on the floor of an open-air restaurant. “He’s still breathing!” some unidentified guests exclaim.

The three Canadians were wounded in the assault and rushed to a hospital, the official said. Two of them subsequently died, authorities said. The state attorney general’s office said the first individual to perished had previously faced criminal charges, including drug trafficking and use of a false ID. The second Canadian who was killed also had a criminal past, the office said in a tweet. The victims were not identified.

Security forces descended on the area and began searching for the suspect, authorities said.

The shooting followed a flurry of other violent incidents in recent months in beach resorts in Cancún and along the coastal strip stretching south from that city. In December, gunmen on water scooters charged a Cancún beach in an apparent assassination attempt, firing their weapons and then taking off. No one was wounded. In November, shooting broke out at a hotel in Puerto Morelos , sending tourists ducking for cover in hallways. Two apparent cartel members were killed.

A month earlier, a German and Indian tourist were slain by gunmen in Tulum, apparently caught in the crossfire.

Several organized crime groups compete to supply drugs to tourists in the resort area, triggering violent confrontations. Foreigners on holiday are rarely the targets. But Mexico’s government — which counts on tourism for nearly 9 percent of GDP — was so unnerved by the recent attacks that it sent more than 1,000 soldiers and police to patrol popular beaches, nightclubs and bars.

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Continuing Coverage

Murder of Two Canadians at Mexico Resort Was Over Gang Debt, Prosecutor Says

A first group of assassins hired to kill them earlier in january abandoned the job because there was too much security at the resort. a second assassin flew in to the resort and carried out the killing, published january 27, 2022.

A prosecutor in Mexico said Tuesday the killing of two Canadians at a Caribbean coast resort last week was motivated by debts between international gangs apparently dedicated to drug and weapons trafficking.

On Friday, prosecutors said both dead men had criminal records in Canada, and one was a known felon with a long record related to robbery, drug and weapons offenses. A third Canadian, a woman, was wounded and is being treated at a local hospital, but is not yet able to speak with investigators.

“The investigations indicate that this attack was motivated by debts that arose from transnational illegal activities that the victims participated in,” said Oscar Montes, the chief prosecutor of the Quintana Roo state. “The information (is) that they were involved in weapons and drug trafficking, among other crimes.”

Montes said the attack had been planned for almost a month by a cartel or gang that had not previously been known to operate in the area. But in keeping with standard procedure, he declined to name the gang.

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The attack took place Friday at the Hotel Xcaret resort south of Playa del Carmen. The attackers apparently had guest wrist bands to enter the resort.

Montes said a first group of assassins hired to kill the Canadians earlier in January abandoned the job because there was too much security. A second assassin flew in to the resort and carried out the killing, he said.

Canadian Tourist Killed, 2 Wounded in Mexico Resort Shooting

Gunmen on Jet Skis Show Up at Cancun Resort Beach, Fire Shots, Police Say

Authorities said the two suspects arrested in the case so far include a professional kidnapper from Mexico City who coordinated the plot.

Police also arrested a female, identified only by her last name, Nu, who was apparently part of the group of 10 Canadians who were vacationing at the resort. Montes said Nu both “cared for the children” of the victims and allegedly met with the killers and may have been providing them information on their activities.

The hired killer who actually fired the shots is being sought.

Last week’s killings are just part of a series of brazen acts of violence along Mexico’s resort-studded Mayan Riviera coast, the crown jewel of the country’s tourism industry. Several rival drug gangs are fighting for control of the area's lucrative drug market.

On Tuesday, prosecutors reported a man had been shot to death at a well-known beach club restaurant in Playa del Carmen. They did not identify the dead man, but the local business chamber identified him as the manager of the business.

In November, a shootout on the beach of Puerto Morelos left two suspected drug dealers dead. Authorities said there were some 15 gunmen from a gang that apparently disputed control of drug sales there.

In late October, farther south in the laidback destination of Tulum, two tourists — one a California travel blogger born in India and the other German — were caught in the apparent crossfire of rival drug dealers and killed.

Following those events, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador sent nearly 1,500 members of the National Guard to reinforce security in the area.

If Canadian gangs were involved in Quintana Roo, it would not be shocking. The Caribbean coast state, because of its huge flow of foreigners, has seen a number of crime rings with international connections.

A Romanian gang has long operated in the state, using ATM machines to clone credit cards or make illegal withdrawals. And this week authorities arrested two Ukrainians for their alleged involvement in a fuel theft ring. Immigrant traffickers have long used Cancun as base for smuggling Cuban migrants

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Mexico: Canadians killed at resort over international gang debts, police say

Shooting of pair on Caribbean coast allegedly linked to ‘transnational illegal activities that the victims participated in’

The killing of two Canadians at a resort on Mexico’s Caribbean coast last week was motivated by debts between international gangs apparently dedicated to drug and weapons trafficking, according to a senior Mexican prosecutor.

“The investigations indicate that this attack was motivated by debts that arose from transnational illegal activities that the victims participated in,” said Oscar Montes, the chief prosecutor of the Quintana Roo state, on Tuesday. “The information [is] that they were involved in weapons and drug trafficking, among other crimes.”

The attack took place Friday at the Hotel Xcaret resort, south of Playa del Carmen.

Prosecutors had previously said both victims had criminal records in Canada, and one was a known felon with a long record related to robbery, drug and weapons offenses.

A Canadian woman was wounded in the attack and is being treated at a local hospital.

Montes said the attack had been planned for almost a month by a crime faction which he declined to name but said had not previously been known to operate in the area.

The attackers apparently had guest wrist bands to enter the resort.

Montes said a first group of assassins hired to kill the Canadians earlier in January abandoned the job because there was too much security. A second assassin flew in to the resort to carry out the killing.

Authorities said the two suspects arrested in the case so far were a professional kidnapper from Mexico City who coordinated the plot, and the hired killer.

Police also alleged that they had arrested a woman, who was apparently part of the group of 10 Canadians who were vacationing at the resort. Montes said the woman had allegedly met with the killers and may have been providing them information.

IQuintana Roo, which is visited by huge numbers of foreign tourists, has previously played host to numerous crime rings with international connections.

A Romanian gang has long operated in the state, using ATM machines to clone credit cards or make illegal withdrawals. And this week authorities arrested two Ukrainians for their alleged involvement in a fuel theft ring. Immigrant traffickers have long used Cancún as base for smuggling Cuban migrants.

Last week’s killings were the latest in a series of brazen acts of violence along Mexico’s resort-studded Mayan Riviera coast, the crown jewel of the country’s tourism industry.

In November, a shootout on the beach of Puerto Morelos left two suspected drug dealers dead . Authorities said there were about 15 gunmen from a gang that apparently disputed control of drug sales there.

In late October, farther south in the laidback destination of Tulum, two tourists – one a California travel blogger born in India and the other German – were killed in the apparent crossfire of rival drug dealers.

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Two Tourists Were Murdered in Oaxaca’s Once Peaceful Beach Area in a Week

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Canadians found dead of knife wounds in Mexican resort

1 canadian had been sought by interpol, the state prosecutor's office said.

2 Canadians killed in Mexico were targeted, officials say

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Two Canadians — one of them sought by Interpol — have been found dead of knife wounds in Mexico's Caribbean coast resort of Playa del Carmen, the state prosecutor's office said on Tuesday.

Prosecutors in Quintana Roo state, also home to resort towns like Cancun and Tulum, said the man and the woman were found dead on Monday at a hotel or condominium in the troubled resort, and a third person was reported injured. 

There was no immediate information on their names or hometowns. But prosecutors confirmed the male victim was on an Interpol wanted list for fraud charges. 

"Global Affairs Canada is aware of the death of two Canadian citizens in Mexico," the department said in a statement. 

"Consular officials stand ready to provide consular assistance to families, and are in contact with local authorities to gather additional information," the statement said. "Due to privacy considerations, no additional information can be provided."

Playa del Carmen has been hit by several instances of violence involving foreigners, most recently in January, when two Canadians were killed at a local resort, apparently because of debts between international drug and weapons trafficking gangs. 

• Killings of 2 Canadians in Mexico due to gang debt, prosecutor says
• Guests, hotel staff forced to hide as gunmen kill 2 at Cancun beach resort

In March, police in Playa del Carmen found the bodies of four men dumped near a housing development. The fact the bodies were left together in the shrubs beside an access road suggested a gangland-style killing. 

There have been a series of brazen acts of violence elsewhere along Mexico's resort-studded Mayan Riviera coast, the crown jewel of the country's tourism industry. 

• 2 Canadians killed, another injured in Mexico resort shooting, police say

In November, a shootout on the beach of Puerto Morelos, just north of Playa del Carmen, left two suspected drug dealers dead. 

Authorities said some 15 gunmen were from a gang that apparently disputed control of drug sales there.

In late October, farther south in the laid-back destination of Tulum, two tourists — one a California travel blogger born in India and the other German — were caught in the apparent crossfire of rival drug dealers and killed.

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Two Canadians killed at Playa del Carmen beach resort in Mexico, authorities say

This article was published more than 1 year ago. Some information may no longer be current.

A general view shows the Oasis 12 condo where two Canadian citizens, a man and a woman, were killed by unknown assailants, authorities said on Tuesday, in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, June 21, 2022. STRINGER/Reuters

Two Canadian citizens, a man and a woman, have been killed at the beach resort of Playa del Carmen on Mexico’s Caribbean coast, authorities said on Tuesday.

The killings in the state of Quintana Roo follow the fatal shooting in January of two Canadians with criminal records in nearby Cancun.

A senior state official told Reuters the man, whose identity has not been made public, was wanted by Interpol.

“He was a not a tourist,” the official said, adding that the man had been in hiding in Mexico for about four years.

Mexican media said the victims had had their throats cut, citing a local police report. The Quintana Roo attorney general’s office said the two had suffered knife injuries, but did not immediately reply to requests for further comment.

Their bodies were found in local accommodation and a third person, a man, also was injured, the office said.

Canada’s embassy in Mexico confirmed the deceased were Canadian citizens and said it was in contact with local authorities. It said it could not reveal further information at this time.

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Canadian killed in southern Mexico, 2nd tourist slain in Oaxaca in less than a week

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A Canadian man was shot to death in Mexico’s Pacific coast beach town of Puerto Escondido, prosecutors said Tuesday.

He was the second foreign tourist killed in the southern state of Oaxaca in less than a week.

Oaxaca state prosecutors said Tuesday the Canadian man was found dead in a car with a bullet wound on Monday in a neighborhood of Puerto Escondido where few tourists stay.

Prosecutors did not provide any possible motive in the slaying. The dead man was identified as Víctor Masson, 27, but no information on his hometown was available.

The killing comes three days after a man from Argentina was seriously wounded in a machete attack in another coastal town in Oaxaca.

Prosecutors said Monday the Argentine tourist — whose name was not released — died of his injuries at a hospital in Mexico City.

He was among a group of three Argentines were attacked by a Mexican man with a machete on Friday in the hamlet of La Isla, at the mouth of the Laguna de Chacahua, on the Pacific coast. The other two tourists were also wounded in the attack, but their injuries do not appear to be life-threatening.

Laguna de Chacahua is about 60 miles (100 kilometers) west of Puerto Escondido.

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5 tourists killed in case of mistaken identity in Ecuador while 9 shot dead is separate attack: "The battle continues"

Updated on: April 1, 2024 / 7:48 AM EDT / CBS/AFP

Ecuadoran gangsters abducted, interrogated and killed five tourists, apparently thinking they were members of a rival drug gang, officials said this weekend, while a separate attack by gunmen killed nine people on the country's coast.

Around 20 attackers stormed a hotel Friday in the beach town of Ayampe in southern Ecuador and kidnapped six adults and a child, local police commander Richard Vaca said.

The abducted tourists, all Ecuadorans, were interrogated and hours later the bodies of five adults were found with gunshot wounds on a road, he said.

The assailants "apparently mistook them for adversaries" from a rival drug gang, said Vaca.

President Daniel Noboa said one person has been arrested so far in the case and the government is tracking down the rest of the attackers.

The killings "remind us that the battle continues," Noboa said on social media, along with a video of a man handcuffed and bent over, being led away forcefully by an armed police officer.

Cualquier ataque contra un ecuatoriano es un ataque al Ecuador. Lo sucedido en Santa Elena y Manabí nos recuerda que la batalla continúa. La Policía Nacional se encuentra desplegada y como resultado hemos capturado a uno de los secuestradores de Ayampe, no descansaremos hasta… pic.twitter.com/2brJHWzmhB — Daniel Noboa Azin (@DanielNoboaOk) March 30, 2024

"Narcoterrorism and its allies are looking for spaces to scare us, but they will not succeed," Noboa said.

Meanwhile, gunmen attacked a group of people in Ecuador's coastal city of Guayaquil, killing nine and injuring 10 others, police said Sunday.

The attack took place around 7 p.m. local time Saturday in the southern neighborhood of Guasmo. According to police, the armed group entered a pedestrian street in a grey Chevrolet Spark, where a group of people were practicing sports. The gunmen got out of the vehicle and proceeded to shoot people.

"So far, the result is nine people dead and 10 injured," police Col. Ramiro Arequipa told journalists around midday on Sunday.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.

Ecuador was once considered a bastion of peace in Latin America, but in recent years has seen a surge in violent attacks.

Noboa declared a state of emergency in January, which provides for permanent operations by a security force made up of police and military. In addition, a five-hour curfew is in force in high-incidence areas such as Guayaquil.

That month, Noboa also gave orders to "neutralize" criminal gangs after  gunmen stormed and opened fire  in a TV studio and bandits threatened random executions of civilians and security forces.

Since then, the military has been  deployed in the streets  and taken control of the country's prisons, where a string of gang riots in recent years has left hundreds killed.

The violence has continued since the state of emergency.

Just last week, the 27-year-old mayor of a small town - also in the province of Manabi - was killed along with her collaborator. Brigitte Garcia and Jairo Loor were found inside a vehicle with gunshot wounds.

One of Garcia's last posts on  social media , where she touts herself as the nation's youngest mayor, was about a new project to bring water to her municipality.

"Together, we're building a brighter future for our community," she  wrote .

On Thursday, a riot in a Guayaquil prison under military and police control left three inmates dead and four injured.

Ecuador surpassed a rate of 40 violent deaths per 100,000 inhabitants at the end of 2023, one of the highest in the region, according to police.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Middle East crisis — explained

The conflict between Israel and Palestinians — and other groups in the Middle East — goes back decades. These stories provide context for current developments and the history that led up to them.

These are the World Central Kitchen aid workers killed by Israeli airstrike in Gaza

Willem Marx

Rachel Treisman

Relatives and friends mourn the death of Saifeddin Issam Ayad Abutaha, a member of the U.S.-based aid group World Central Kitchen who was killed as Israeli strikes hit its convoy delivering food in Gaza, during his funeral in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, on Tuesday. Said Khatib/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

Relatives and friends mourn the death of Saifeddin Issam Ayad Abutaha, a member of the U.S.-based aid group World Central Kitchen who was killed as Israeli strikes hit its convoy delivering food in Gaza, during his funeral in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, on Tuesday.

World Central Kitchen has named the seven aid workers killed by an Israeli airstrike Monday as they were trying to deliver food to Palestinians in Gaza.

The victims were Australian, British, Palestinian, Polish and a dual citizen of the United States and Canada.

President Biden said he was "outraged" by the deaths. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he was "appalled." Three of the victims were citizens of the United Kingdom.

World Central Kitchen, led by a humanitarian chef, has fed crisis zones for years

In a video statement Wednesday, the Israeli military's chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, said "the strike was not carried out with the intention of harming WCK aid workers. It was a mistake that followed a misidentification — at night during a war in very complex conditions. It shouldn't have happened."

The Israeli military has also praised World Central Kitchen for bringing humanitarian aid to people in Gaza, as well as to Israel after the Oct. 7 attack in the country.

But humanitarian chef José Andrés, founder of World Central Kitchen, told Reuters Wednesday he suspected Israeli forces had targeted the charity's convoy in Gaza "systematically, car by car."

World Central Kitchen pauses Gaza aid, as Netanyahu acknowledges an 'unintended hit'

The food aid charity called on governments to demand an independent investigation to find whether the attack was "carried out intentionally or otherwise violated international law."

The organization suspended its Gaza operations after the attack, and some other humanitarian groups followed suit , raising further concern for the people in Gaza in desperate need of aid. Israel's blockade and six-month assault on Gaza has fueled a growing hunger crisis in the territory, with northern Gaza facing imminent famine, international aid groups and U.N. experts warn. Israeli officials have denied restricting aid and called reports of a looming famine " a complete lie ."

The bodies of the six dead foreign aid workers were transported out of Gaza into Egypt Wednesday on their way to their home countries, The Associated Press reported . The Palestinian's remains were handed over to his family to be buried in Gaza.

They were the latest of at least 196 humanitarian workers killed in Palestinian territories since October, according to the United Nations humanitarian coordinator in the region.

These are the identities of the seven World Central Kitchen workers who died.

Zomi Frankcom works with colleagues and volunteers to unload and arrange for distribution lunch casseroles at Gara de Nord railway station in Bucharest on April 6, 2022. The Australian aid worker was among those killed by an Israeli strike in Gaza. Ioana Moldovan for NPR hide caption

Zomi Frankcom works with colleagues and volunteers to unload and arrange for distribution lunch casseroles at Gara de Nord railway station in Bucharest on April 6, 2022. The Australian aid worker was among those killed by an Israeli strike in Gaza.

Australian aid worker Lalzawmi "Zomi" Frankcom , 43, a relief lead for World Central Kitchen, died "doing the work she loves," her family said in a statement to media .

She had helped people during brush fires in her native Australia, supported the Navajo Nation during the COVID-19 pandemic and fed Ukrainian refugees fleeing Russia's invasion.

Ukraine invasion — explained

Romania hasn't always seen itself as a safe haven. war in ukraine has changed that.

NPR spoke with Frankcom in 2022 in Bucharest, Romania, where she coordinated meals for Ukrainian refugees. She said she first got involved with the organization while living in Guatemala in 2018, after nearly a decade working in banking and finance. World Central Kitchen arrived to provide emergency aid to communities following a deadly volcanic eruption in the country. "It was like, 'Okay great, can you make a sandwich?' " she recalled them saying. "'Yeah, I can make a sandwich.' 'Right, come on, we're going to make 3,000 of them.' "

On Wednesday, chef Andrés posted an emotional message on social media about Frankcom.

This was Zomi in Pakistan….like so many other missions….always a brave soul….an Angel…. Dear Zomi I have no words….but I promise you, your spirit will always be with us…we will always feed people, with love and kindness….you made all of us better…..You made invisible… https://t.co/RFb1dCj29b — Chef José Andrés 🕊️🥘🍳 (@chefjoseandres) April 3, 2024

"Dear Zomi I have no words ... but I promise you, your spirit will always be with us," he wrote on X , formerly Twitter. He went so far as to say he wished he hadn't started the charity because she would still be alive today.

Several victims had served in armed forces

All three British citizens who died had previously served in the country's military and were using their experience in conflict zones to help safeguard the work of the charity's staff members as they moved around Gaza.

The family of James Kirby , who was 47, said in a statement issued by the U.K. government that they were "incredibly proud" of his work, which included military tours in Bosnia and Afghanistan, and that he would be remembered as a hero.

But some family members have told British media Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's response — "There was a tragic case of our forces unintentionally hitting innocent people in the Gaza Strip. This happens in war." — angered them.

"They are not soldiers, they are there to help and feed people. Making them a target is unacceptable. Their response for us as a family wasn't nice to listen to," Adam McGuire, Kirby's cousin, told the BBC .

John Chapman Family of John Chapman hide caption

John Chapman

The family of John Chapman , who was 57, said he "died trying to help people" in what they called an "inhumane act" and would be missed.

James Henderson , 33, had served in Britain's Royal Marines before moving into civilian security work.

Why a majority of Britons want the U.K. to halt arms exports to Israel

The Palestinian worker who was killed, Saifeddin Issam Ayad Abutaha , 25, was from the city of Rafah, in the southern part of Gaza. He had worked for World Central Kitchen as a driver and translator since the beginning of the year, the AP reported .

Polish citizen Damian Sobol , 35, was identified by a local government leader in his hometown of Przemysl on social media, saying , "There are no words to describe the feelings of people who knew this amazing young man right now... May he rest in peace."

The U.S. and Canadian dual citizen who died was Jacob Flickinger , 33. He had served as an infantryman in the Canadian armed forces before working in Mexico with World Central Kitchen.

In a statement announcing the victims' identities, World Central Kitchen CEO Erin Gore said: "These are the heroes of World Central Kitchen. These 7 beautiful souls were killed by the IDF in a strike as they were returning from a full day's mission. Their smiles, laughter, and voices are forever embedded in our memories. And we have countless memories of them giving their best selves to the world. We are reeling from our loss. The world's loss."

Governments call for accountability

Governments of the countries where the six foreign victims were from have been expressing sorrow and anger over Monday's fatal attack.

President Biden said in a statement he was "outraged and heartbroken by the deaths" and said the investigation into the case "must bring accountability."

In a rebuke to the Israeli government, Biden also said "this is not a stand-alone incident," noting the high aid worker casualties in the conflict. "Israel has not done enough to protect aid workers trying to deliver desperately needed help to civilians."

Biden warns Netanyahu that U.S. policy on Gaza hinges on improved conditions there

On Thursday, Biden told Prime Minister Netanyahu in a phone call that U.S. policy on the war in Gaza will be determined by whether Israel takes "a series of specific, concrete and measurable steps" to address deaths of civilians and aid workers in the territory.

Biden had a call with chef Andrés earlier in the week and expressed his condolences and support for the group's work.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said in a call with his Israeli counterpart he was " appalled ."

"The Prime Minister said far too many aid workers and ordinary civilians have lost their lives in Gaza and the situation is increasingly intolerable," according to the U.K. government's readout from the call. "The UK expects to see immediate action by Israel to end restrictions on humanitarian aid, deconflict with the UN and aid agencies, protect civilians and repair vital infrastructure like hospitals and water networks."

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese paid tribute to Frankcom and the other aid workers, saying , "This is just completely unacceptable. Australia expects full accountability for the deaths of aid workers."

Canada's foreign minister, Mélanie Joly, said she was " horrified " by the news and said those responsible must be held accountable.

Polish President Andrzej Duda also praised the killed workers, writing on X , "These brave people changed the world for the better with their service and dedication to others. This tragedy should never have happened and must be explained."

• World Central Kitchen
• Israel-Hamas war
• Israel-Gaza war
• Palestinian aid
• humanitarian aid
• Jose Andres