Damian Sobol

Their life

Damian Sobol was a 35-year-old humanitarian aid worker from Przemyśl in southeastern Poland. Trained in hospitality, he dedicated his life to helping people in crisis zones around the world. He joined World Central Kitchen (WCK) in 2022 and became known for his technical skill, compassion, and tireless commitment to serving others. Sobol volunteered during major humanitarian emergencies in Ukraine, Greece, Morocco, and Turkey before spending six months in Gaza, where he supported large-scale food-aid operations. Friends and colleagues described him as kind, protective, innovative, and a person who always found solutions. He was widely admired in his hometown and by global teammates for his generosity and skill.

Born and raised in Przemyśl, Poland, Sobol studied hospitality before turning to humanitarian work. When Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, his hometown became a major hub for refugees, and he began volunteering with World Central Kitchen. His practical skills made him indispensable: he could build, repair, or engineer almost anything needed in crisis zones.

His work expanded internationally—he assisted refugees in Ukraine, responded to wildfires in Greece, and helped operations in Morocco and Turkey after major earthquakes. In Gaza, Sobol played a major role in WCK’s kitchen operations, including helping install a water filtration system and supporting the preparation of millions of meals for civilians trapped in the conflict.

His colleagues described him as a “superhero,” someone who could solve any problem, keep morale strong, and work relentlessly in dangerous conditions. WCK later named a new high-production field kitchen in Gaza “Damian’s Kitchen” in his memory.

His funeral in Przemyśl was attended by high-ranking officials, including the President of Poland.

How they died

Sobol was killed in an Israeli airstrike on April 1, 2024, while traveling in a marked World Central Kitchen convoy delivering food aid in Gaza.

According to the IDF and WCK reports, the convoy was struck despite being clearly marked and traveling on an approved route. Israeli authorities later stated they misidentified a person as a Hamas militant, calling the strike a “grave mistake.” The incident prompted global criticism, an internal IDF disciplinary response, and international demands for an independent investigation.

A plea from the family

Friends and colleagues, such as chef Laura Pauli, expressed profound grief and anger, calling him an “extraordinary human being” and a great loss “to the planet.”

Why we remember them

This record exists so that Damian Sobol, and all who are named in this archive, are never reduced to a number.

References & sources