A group of armed insurgents posing as aid workers in Gaza have been killed in an Israeli strike, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) have said.

Israeli forces said that "five armed terrorists" were driving a van displaying the logo of the US-based World Central Kitchen (WCK) charity.

The IDF said the men were "eliminated" because they "posed a threat to our troops".

Israeli forces said that 'five armed terrorists' were driving a van displaying the logo of the US-based World Central Kitchen

Footage published by the IDF on Tuesday showed the men using a car displaying WCK signage and dressed in yellow vests and holding weapons near the Deir al-Balah area in the centre of the Gaza Strip.

Israeli forces said representatives of the military “verified the information with the WCK, which confirmed that the vehicle seen in Gaza with the organization’s emblem had no connection to its activities".

“The terrorists deliberately affixed the emblem and wore yellow vests in an attempt to conceal their activity and avoid being targeted, cynically exploiting the status and trust afforded to aid organisations," they added.

The IDF has not confirmed whether the five men "eliminated" were linked to Hamas.

The WCK said 'we strongly condemn anyone posing as World Central Kitchen or other humanitarians, as this endangers civilians and aid workers'

In the aftermath of the attack, the WCK said: “We strongly condemn anyone posing as World Central Kitchen or other humanitarians, as this endangers civilians and aid workers.

"The safety and security of our teams are our top priority.”

The IDF came under intense scrutiny in April 2024 after targeting a WCK convoy, killing seven aid workers including three British citizens.

Israeli forces admitted the strike was a mistake, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu labelling the incident as a "tragic" accident.

In November last year, Israeli forces killed three WCK aid workers after carrying out a strike on one of its vehicles.

The military revealed that one of the employees targeted was involved in the October 7 terror attacks carried out by Hamas.

The WCK, meanwhile, claimed it had “no knowledge that any individual in the vehicle had alleged ties to the October 7 Hamas attack”.

The WCK was established in 2010 by chef Jose Andres and has delivered food to civilians in a variety of warzones, including Ukraine and Haiti.

Tel Aviv has come under increasing pressure to publish evidence proving the journalist's link to Hamas

The move comes after Israel has faced backlash for killing six journalists in a strike on Sunday, including Al Jazeera correspondent and alleged Hamas member Anas al-Sharif.

Israel accused al-Sharif of being involved in rocket strikes and leading a Hamas terror cell - which Qatar-backed network Al-Jazeera strongly denies.