United Nations, April 12 (RHC)-- The UN Security Council has expressed “grave concern” over an Israeli airstrike that killed seven members of the U.S.-based charity World Central Kitchen earlier this month in the Gaza Strip.

The 15-member body on Thursday called for a full and transparent investigation into the incident.  The Security Council also said that Israel must do more to improve aid delivery into the besieged territory.

The statement called for the immediate lifting of all barriers to humanitarian aid delivery.  The council members underlined the need for accountability for all of these incidents and noted that Israel has announced the initial results of an investigation into the incident.  They stressed the need for a full, transparent and comprehensive investigation into the incident that is fully publicized.

The council members also demanded that all parties to the conflict fully respect the protected status of humanitarian workers, facilities, and operations under international law.

International aid groups say Gaza is progressively being made unfit for human life, and has passed the threshold of absolute horror.  They say a famine is imminent and nowhere in Gaza currently has access to sufficient assistance and services.

Gaza’s entire population lacks necessities such as food, water, health care and shelter.

The World Central Kitchen said staff from Australia, Poland, the UK, and a U.S.-Canada citizen were killed in the “targeted Israeli strike."   It said its team was traveling in two armored cars and a soft-skinned vehicle in a “deconflicted zone” when it was targeted by the Israeli regime forces.

“The convoy was hit as it was leaving the Deir al-Balah warehouse, where the team had unloaded more than 100 tons of humanitarian food aid brought to Gaza on the maritime route,” the group said in its statement.

The group said before its movements it had coordinated with the Israeli regime forces.