Australia’s foreign minister Penny Wong has condemned Israel’s decision not to prosecute those responsible for the death of Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom, calling the outcome “outraged,” “insulting,” and far short of the accountability Australia expects. Please confirm all political information with a trusted source.
Frankcom, a World Central Kitchen (WCK) worker, was killed alongside six colleagues in April 2024 when an Israeli airstrike hit their clearly marked aid convoy in Gaza. The victims included three British nationals, a Palestinian, a Polish citizen and a dual US‑Canadian national.
Wong said Australia learned of Israel’s decision late Wednesday night a timing she described as “especially insulting,” given it fell on World Humanitarian Day. She said she would call in Israel’s ambassador, Hillel Newman, and has instructed Australia’s ambassador in Israel to convey Canberra’s concerns directly.
WCK sharply criticised Israel’s findings, saying the military investigation “conflates different timelines,” “shifts blame,” and is “inconsistent with the full truth.” The organisation maintains the strike was an unlawful attack on humanitarian workers.
Israel’s military said the convoy had deviated from its approved route and that an armed guard travelling with the team was mistakenly identified as a Hamas fighter. Despite acknowledging “serious failures” in procedure, mistaken identification and errors in decision‑making, the IDF concluded that commanders’ actions did not raise “reasonable suspicion of criminal misconduct.”
In the same announcement, the IDF also said it found no grounds for criminal investigation into two separate strikes that killed four Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) staff in November 2023 and February 2024.
Wong said Australia will continue pressing Israel “for justice for Zomi and her colleagues,” insisting accountability is essential for the safety of humanitarian workers worldwide.
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