American aid worker killed in Israeli airstrike was a new dad and military veteran about to leave Gaza
The American-Canadian aid worker killed in an Israeli airstrike on Monday was a new dad who was about to leave Gaza to reassess safety concerns in the territory when his truck was struck.
Jacob Flickinger, 33, leaves behind his partner Sandy and their 1-year-old son in Costa Rica after he died alongside six colleagues with the World Central Kitchen in what the nonprofit has called an “unforgivable” and “targeted” attack — while Israel claims it was a “grave mistake.”
The young family had recently moved to Costa Rica to start a new life and raise their son there, Flickinger’s heartbroken dad told the Daily Beast Wednesday.
Now family friends are raising money for the newly widowed mom and the baby since Flickinger was the sole financial provider.
The new dad was part of a team of World Central Kitchen aid workers who had just delivered more than 100 tons of food to northern Gaza — which is on the brink of major famine — when missiles fired by the Israeli military struck all three of their vehicles in succession.
He was killed alongside Lalzawmi (Zomi) Frankcom, 43, of Australia and Damian Sobol, 35, of Poland; three UK citizens: James (Jim) Henderson, 33; James Kirby, 47; and John Chapman, 57; and the team’s Palestinian driver Saifeddin Issam Ayad Abutaha, 25.
Flickinger — who had been volunteering with World Central Kitchen in Gaza since early March — tragically told his father he was just days away from leaving the war-torn territory which has been under constant fire by Israel before he was killed.
He was going to arrive in Cairo by the end of the week to “reassess what their needs were and how they’re going to proceed,” his father John Flickinger told the Beast.
“The situation was changing daily on the ground with Israel threatening to attack Rafah,” John said. “That was the last text from him, that he’s going to reassess at the end of the week in Cairo.”
But Flickinger never got that chance.
Instead, family members are working to have his body flown back home.
His grieving father described his son as “a loving husband and new father” and “the best friend anyone could ever have.”
Flickinger served time with the Canadian military in Afghanistan and was a dual citizen of Canada and the US.
He had been working different gigs as a personal trainer, coach and wilderness guide to provide for his family before his death, his dad told the outlet.
He loved being a dad and the new role “changed Jacob in many ways,” John said.
“He became very, very focused on raising his son… and they moved to Costa Rica to start a new, kind of a new life there and kind of build a life in a nice tropical country,” he told the Beast.
But he was also dedicated to the mission of World Center Kitchen, a nonprofit that provides food to people following major disasters or wars, and had previously worked with the charity in Mexico following a hurricane there.
“He loved to work with the World Central Kitchen. He believed in their mission. And when the opportunity came to Gaza, he was hesitant, but the need was so great,” John told the publication.
Israel has claimed responsibility for the attack — which it said was a result of misidentification at night — and apologized for the killings.
But the leaders of World Central Kitchen have repeatedly said they believe the attack was targeted.
The organization said all three team vehicles, which were traveling with distances between them, were struck by missiles in succession and two of the cars were clearly marked with the World Central Kitchen logo, including on the roof.
The convoy was also traveling along what was supposed to be a deconflicted zone in coordination with the Israel Defense Forces.
“I am heartbroken and appalled that we — World Central Kitchen and the world — lost beautiful lives today because of a targeted attack by the IDF. The love they had for feeding people, the determination they embodied to show that humanity rises above all, and the impact they made in countless lives will forever be remembered and cherished,” World Central Kitchen CEO Erin Gore said in a statement.
The DC-based nonprofit, which was the largest, non-UN supplier of food in the war-torn Gaza strip, has suspended all operations in Gaza since the deaths.
