A British aid worker killed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza was “subject to an inhumane act”, his family have said.
John Chapman, 57, who was understood to be a former member of the special forces, was among seven World Central Kitchen aid workers killed by an Israel Defense Forces attack on a humanitarian convoy on Monday.
His family said in a statement issued to the Foreign Office: “We are devastated to have lost John, who was killed in Gaza. He died trying to help people and was subject to an inhumane act. He was an incredible father, husband, son and brother.
“We request we be given space and time to grieve appropriately. He was loved by many and will for ever be a hero. He will be missed dearly.”
Chapman, who lived in Poole, Dorset, worked in the charity’s security team and was killed alongside fellow British military veterans James Kirby, a 47-year-old former Army sniper, and James Henderson, a 33-year-old former Royal Marine. The trio worked for the Dorset-based security firm Solace Global, which had been supporting the charity in Gaza.
Kirby’s family described him as a “genuine gentleman” who lost his life trying to help others.
In a statement to the BBC, they said: “As a family, we are utterly heartbroken by the loss of our beloved James Kirby. Alongside the other six individuals who tragically lost their lives, he will be remembered as a hero.
“James understood the dangers of venturing into Gaza, drawing from his experiences in the British Armed Forces, where he bravely served tours in Bosnia and Afghanistan. Despite the risks, his compassionate nature drove him to offer assistance to those in dire need.
“A genuine gentleman, James was always willing to lend a helping hand to anyone, even in the face of senseless violence. James lost his life trying to save others. He will never know what a void he has left. Our family will never be the same.”
They added that they were “incredibly proud” of Kirby, who was born in Bristol.
Adam McGuire, Kirby’s cousin, said: “James was one of those characters who, once you met him, was hard to forget. Legend seems like an easy word to say, but a lot of friends have described him as that – absolutely selfless, always there for his friends and his family and not least his mum, who he adored.
“He never took these missions, these trips, lightly, knowing what they did to his mum, but it was something he did all the time. He went off on protection on different activities, whether it be on yachts or ships or in countries.
“This mission was one he felt he had to do. He had to go out and help people. It was nothing to do with the actual politics. Because of the background he came from, in the forces, he always had that sense of duty, and going to Gaza was one of those things he thought he had to do to help in any way he could.”
McGuire added that the family was “disappointed” by Israel’s response on Tuesday and the fact that Benjamin Netanyahu did not apologise.
“His response was along the lines of: ‘This is war, this is what happens.’ It shouldn’t happen, not nowadays. We would like to have seen a better response to what happened, not just to James but to the other six individuals who have been killed,” McGuire said. “We hope from James’s side and possibly the other six that this is the turning point. We hope we can get a ceasefire and humanitarian aid can get into Gaza.”
Henderson, from Penryn, Cornwall, served in the Royal Marines for six years before working for private security firms, according to his LinkedIn profile. He described himself as “a highly disciplined, courteous and proactive individual” and said his “true vocation lies in security” in a civilian position.
Solace Global’s director, Matthew Harding, told Sky News that the three men were “extremely experienced, very professional and thoroughly excellent operators”.
Tributes were also paid to Zomi Frankcom, 43, an Australian national; Jacob Flickinger, 33, an American-Canadian dual citizen; Damian Sobol, 35, a Polish national; and Saif Issam Abu Taha, a 25-year-old Palestinian, who were also killed in the strike.
Frankcom’s family said she left behind a legacy of compassion, bravery and love. In a statement, they described her as an “outstanding human being” who was “killed doing the work she loves, delivering food to the people of Gaza”.
Sobol, a relief worker who lived in the city of Przemyśl in south-east Poland, had been on aid missions in Ukraine, Morocco and Turkey. Wojciech Bakun, the mayor of Przemyśl, wrote in a Facebook post: “There are no words to describe the feelings of people who knew this amazing young man right now.”
Abu Taha’s brothers described him as a dedicated young man eager to help fellow Palestinians.
The bodies of the six foreign aid workers were transferred to Egypt on Wednesday, while Abu Taha was buried in his hometown of Rafah.
On Wednesday, the British foreign secretary, David Cameron, described the killings as “dreadful” and added: “We should mourn the loss of these brave humanitarian workers.”
