Australia Summons Israeli Ambassador Over Gaza Aid Worker Death

Australia has summoned Israel’s ambassador and condemned the Israeli military’s decision not to pursue criminal proceedings over the 2024 Gaza airstrike that killed Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom and six of her World Central Kitchen colleagues.

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said Thursday that Canberra was outraged by the decision, arguing that it failed to meet Australia’s expectations for accountability.

“This decision falls far short of the accountability we expect,” Wong said, adding that Australia would continue pressing Israel for justice for Frankcom and the other aid workers.

Wong also instructed Australia’s envoy in Israel to communicate Canberra’s concerns directly to the Israeli government while officials consider further steps.

The Israeli military said Wednesday that a fact-finding and assessment process found no basis for a criminal investigation into the World Central Kitchen strike. The April 2024 attack killed seven aid workers, including citizens of Australia, Britain and Poland, a Palestinian, and a dual U.S.-Canadian citizen. The incident triggered international condemnation, including criticism from the United States and other Israeli allies.

Israel’s ambassador to Australia, Hillel Newman, said after meeting Wong in Canberra that the investigation identified operational failures but found no criminal liability for the soldiers involved.

Newman said there had been no intention to target humanitarian workers. He added that the World Central Kitchen convoy had deviated from a previously approved route and may have been carrying armed personnel, leading Israeli forces to suspect that Hamas militants had taken control of it.

The dispute comes amid continuing scrutiny of Israel’s military operations in Gaza and Lebanon. More than 73,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks since the Gaza war began in 2023, while thousands more have died during Israeli military operations in southern Lebanon. Those killed have included humanitarian workers, medical personnel and journalists.

Israel maintains that its military operations target Hamas and Hezbollah militants and says it investigates some incidents involving civilian casualties. Australia, however, has made clear it will continue seeking accountability for Frankcom’s death.