Foreign Minister Penny Wong summons Israeli ambassador after military clears personnel of wrongdoing in 2024 strike that killed seven World Central Kitchen staff.
Australia has expressed strong outrage after Israel’s military announced it would not pursue a criminal investigation into the killing of Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom and six of her World Central Kitchen colleagues in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza in April 2024.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong said the decision “falls far short of the accountability we expect” and described it as especially insulting because it was revealed late on Wednesday night, moments before it was publicly announced on World Humanitarian Day.
Australia Summons Israeli Ambassador Over Aid Worker Death:
“Australia is outraged by the Israeli government’s decision to not pursue any criminal proceedings against those responsible for killing Zomi Frankcom and her World Central Kitchen colleagues,” Wong said in a statement. “Zomi represented the best of Australia. Her courage deserves to be celebrated. Her family deserves justice.”
Wong confirmed she had summoned Israel’s ambassador to Australia, Hillel Newman, and directed Australia’s ambassador in Israel to convey the government’s views directly. Canberra is considering further steps.
Frankcom, an Australian national, was among seven aid workers killed on 1 April 2024 when Israeli forces struck their clearly marked convoy in Khan Younis, southern Gaza. The other victims included three British nationals, a Palestinian, a Polish citizen and a dual US-Canadian national. At the time, the Israeli military described the attack as a “grave mistake” resulting from serious failures, including mistaken identification of the vehicles as carrying Hamas operatives and errors in decision-making and procedures.
In its latest review of multiple incidents from the war, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that while there had been serious operational failures, the commanders’ decisions “did not raise reasonable suspicion of criminal misconduct” that would justify a criminal investigation. Two officers had previously been dismissed from their positions and three others formally reprimanded. No further action is planned.
Australia Demands Justice for Zomi Frankcom:
World Central Kitchen strongly condemned the decision, stating it fundamentally disagreed with the military prosecutor’s account and calling it inconsistent with the full truth and deeply offensive to the victims’ families.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also criticised the outcome in parliament, calling it an outrage and affirming that Australia would continue pressing Israel for full accountability and justice for Frankcom and her colleagues.
The Frankcom family expressed deep disappointment, saying they and the families of the other aid workers had waited more than two years for justice and an independent criminal investigation. Australia has repeatedly requested full transparency, including drone audio from the strike, which has not been provided.
The announcement came as the IDF simultaneously opened criminal investigations into two other high-profile cases involving Palestinian civilians, highlighting what critics see as selective accountability. Australia maintains that democracies must uphold higher standards and will not stop seeking justice for the aid workers killed while delivering humanitarian assistance in Gaza.