The United States, France and Britain have led international criticism of a deadly Israeli strike in the Gaza Strip that killed seven charity staff as they unloaded desperately needed aid brought by sea to the territory, AFP reports.

French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne, speaking alongside US Secretary of State Antony Blinken at a press conference in Paris, said: “Protecting humanitarian workers is a moral and legal imperative that everyone must adhere to. Nothing justifies such a tragedy.”

US National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that Washington, Israel’s main ally, was “heartbroken and deeply troubled by the strike”.

British Foreign Secretary David Cameron said the country had “called on Israel to immediately investigate and provide a full, transparent explanation of what happened”.

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he was “shocked and saddened” after learning that a Briton was among those killed.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese slammed the “completely unacceptable” attack, and called it a “tragedy that should never have occurred”.

Read more here.