THE families of two of the three British nationals killed in an Israeli air strike on aid workers in Gaza have paid tribute.
The family of James Kirby described him as a “genuine gentleman” and the family of John Chapman said "he died trying to help people and was subject to an inhumane act."
Kirby and Chapman were two of three British nationals killed in an airstrike on a World Central Kitchen (WCK) charity convoy in Gaza on Monday.
An Australian, a Polish national, an American-Canadian dual citizen, and a Palestinian were also killed.
READ MORE: Channel 4: Israeli official refuses to apologise for aid worker deaths
WCK previously confirmed the names of the British victims. Chapman, 57, James “Jim” Henderson, 33, and Kirby, 47, were working for the charity’s security team.
The team’s leader, Lalzawmi “Zomi” Frankcom, 43, an Australian national, also died, along with American-Canadian dual citizen Jacob Flickinger, 33, Polish national Damian Sobol, 35, and Palestinian Saifeddin Issam Ayad Abutaha, 25.
In a statement issued through the Foreign Office, the family of Chapman said: “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 forever be a hero. He will be missed dearly”.
According to The Times, Henderson was a former Royal Marine from Cornwall who was due to leave Gaza on Monday.
Chapman, a father-of-two from Poole, Dorset, was also said to be a former Royal Marine and served in the Special Boat Service, the special forces unit of the Royal Navy, according to The Sun.
Kirby is also believed to be a military veteran.
In a statement to the BBC, his family said: “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.”
The statement added the family are “incredibly proud of who James was and what he achieved”.
It comes amid calls for the UK Government to halt all exports of weapons or weapon parts to Israel.
In February, scores of UN experts said that the UK Government must stop “immediately” or its officials could face individual legal prosecution.
Foreign Secretary David Cameron said he had spoken to his Israeli counterpart, Israel Katz, to stress the need for “major changes” to ensure the safety of aid workers.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the aid workers were killed by an “unintended strike” by Israeli forces.
However, an investigation from media outlet Al Jazeera’s Sanad verification agency concluded that Israeli forces intentionally targeted the WCK aid convoy in three consecutive air attacks.
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