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See the full story · 3 sourcesAustralian foreign minister says Israel’s decision ‘falls far short of the accountability we expect’
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Australia ’s foreign minister has said she is “outraged” over Israel ’s decision not to pursue criminal proceedings against those involved in the 2024 Gaza strike that killed aid worker Zomi Frankcom and six other World Central Kitchen employees.
Penny Wong, who met Israel’s ambassador to Australia for talks on Thursday, said: “The Australian government learned of Israel’s decision late last night, moments before it was announced, on World Humanitarian Day – which is especially insulting to Zomi’s loved ones, humanitarians and all Australians.
“Zomi represented the best of Australia. Her courage deserves to be celebrated. Her family deserves justice.”
The Australian foreign minister said the move “falls far short of the accountability we expect”.
“This is despite Israel Defence Forces admissions that the IDF strikes on Zomi and her colleagues’ vehicles were the result of serious failures to follow IDF procedures, mistaken identification and errors in decision-making.”
The 43-year-old Australian was among seven workers of World Central Kitchen – a non-profit that provides food relief – killed when their convoy was struck by Israeli forces in Gaza in April 2024.
The other victims included three British nationals, a Palestinian, a Polish national, and a dual US-Canadian citizen.
“Two years on from Zomi Frankcom’s death, the pain of her loss remains with us. People like Zomi are rare,” Ms Wong said on Wednesday.
“I want to make it clear that the Australian government continues to push the Israeli government for full accountability for the deaths of Zomi and her World Central Kitchen colleagues.
“Democracies seek and accept higher standards. The Australian government will not stop pressing Israel for justice for Zomi and her colleagues.”
She also directed Australia’s ambassador to Israel, Neil Hawkins, “to convey our views directly to Israel as the Australian government considers next steps”.
The IDF said its investigation found that soldiers had mistakenly identified people in the convoy as Hamas operatives and believed the vehicles had deviated from an agreed route.
It acknowledged “serious failures” but said the commanders’ actions “did not raise reasonable suspicion of criminal misconduct”.
Two commanders were removed from their posts, while three others were reprimanded.
World Central Kitchen rejected the findings, saying the decision was “inconsistent with the full truth and deeply offensive”.
“There has never been any excuse or justification for the attacks, and there is nothing in this account that does so,” it said in a statement.
“At the time of the lethal attacks, the IDF knew that our team in Gaza was unarmed and posing a threat to nobody. It had full visual clarity on our clearly marked humanitarian vehicles during the extended, multiple airstrikes. It knew our team’s movements, identities and activities in advance.”
The organisation called for an independent investigation, arguing that “the IDF cannot credibly investigate its own conduct”.
“The military investigation conflates different timelines and events, muddies the story and shifts the blame for the IDF’s illegal conduct.”
Israel’s ambassador to Australia, Hillel Newman, defended the decision after meeting Ms Wong in Canberra on Thursday.
Mr Newman said: “There were operational failures, who knows who is guilty of that? That’s not the important issue. The important issue is that there was no intention to kill innocent people.
“There are specific routes for aid in Gaza, it was a war zone so there are specific routes. They deviated from the route. It was nighttime and they also delayed their time in their exit.
“All these circumstances, conditional aspects, led the soldiers at the time that this convoy had been taken over by Hamas and they opened fire.
“It was a mistake in retrospect but the findings of the court are that there was no criminal intention, no intention to hit at aid workers and therefore no criminal responsibility.”
Asked whether he would apologise to Frankcom’s family, Mr Newman said doing so could have “legal ramifications”.
“We expressed deep sorrow, grief with the family. I don’t want to go into... apologise ... has all kinds of legal ramifications.
“I cannot accept liability on the behalf of the state of Israel for the family, but I can express deep sorrow and grief. We see it as a tragedy.”
The decision has also drawn criticism from Australian politicians.
Independent MP, Zali Steggall, called for Australia to support an International Criminal Court investigation, describing Israel’s decision as “a serious failure of accountability and an insult to Zomi’s family, Australian humanitarian workers and international humanitarian law”.
Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi called the strike a war crime and urged Ms Wong to expel the Israeli ambassador.
“Senator Wong can be as outraged as she wants now, but words don’t cut it. In her meeting with the Israeli ambassador, she should be telling him to pack his bags and expel him,” she said.
Ms Faruqi said she was “angry and devastated” by Israel’s decision to clear soldiers for the death of Frankcom and her World Central Kitchen colleagues.
“There is no doubt that this is a war crime. I have been appalled by the comments just a few minutes ago made by the Israeli ambassador just outside parliament,” Ms Faruqi said.
The Jewish Council of Australia, in a statement, said that it was renewing “its call for the Australian government to expel Ambassador Newman and impose country-level sanctions on the Israeli state institutions enabling ongoing impunity”.
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