President Biden is heartbroken by the Israeli airstrike that killed seven World Central Kitchen and called the organization’s founder, chef José Andrés, to offer his condolences, the White House said Tuesday.

The president conveyed “he is grieving with the entire World Central Kitchen family,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said. “The president felt it was important to recognize the tremendous contribution World Central Kitchen has made to the people in Gaza, and people around the world.”

Mr. Biden said he would make clear to Israel that aid workers must be protected, she said.

World Central Kitchen suspended its operations in Gaza after a strike from the Israeli Defense Force struck a marked vehicle containing organization workers from multiple countries — even though the organization had coordinated its whereabouts with the IDF.

National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said the U.S. was “outraged” by the event and is seeking answers from Israel as it conducts a preliminary investigation.

“We obviously want to make sure that investigation gets completed and is as transparent as possible,” he said. “There’s accountability to be had here.”

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Mr. Kirby confirmed that one of the victims was a dual national with U.S. and Canadian citizenship. He also said violence against aid workers will make it harder to get aid to people in Gaza.

“It certainly isn’t helping, there’s no question about that,” Mr. Kirby said.

World Central Kitchen is a non-profit that provides meals following natural disasters and other emergencies.

Mr. Andrés, a native of Spain who rose to fame with D.C. restaurants and television projects, started the group in 2010 following the devastating 2010 earthquake in Haiti.

• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.