Australia to appoint envoy to probe aid worker deaths, says Israeli steps insufficient
Canberra tells Jerusalem that ‘initial responses suggest that the gravity of the death of seven humanitarian workers is yet to be appreciated by the Israeli government’
SYDNEY — Australia’s government said on Saturday it would appoint a special adviser to work with Israel to ensure “full confidence” in investigations into an airstrike in Gaza that killed seven aid workers, including an Australian.
“The government will appoint a special adviser who we have requested the Israelis work with so we can be advised about the appropriateness of the process,” Foreign Minister Penny Wong said in a televised media conference in Adelaide.
“We want to have full confidence in the transparency and accountability of any investigation and we will continue to work to achieve that.”
The Israeli military on Friday dismissed two officers and formally reprimanded senior commanders after an inquiry into this week’s deadly airstrike on the aid workers, including Australian Zomi Frankcom, found serious errors and breaches of procedure.
After being briefed by Israeli authorities, Australia had “made clear that we have not yet received sufficient information to satisfy our expectations” about Frankcom’s death, Wong told reporters.
Wong described the dismissals as “necessary first steps” but said the government had told Israel in a letter sent overnight that “initial responses suggest that the gravity of the death of seven humanitarian workers is yet to be appreciated by the Israeli government.”
“This cannot be brushed aside,” Wong said, adding that she expected all evidence in the investigations to be preserved.
Along with Frankcom, the airstrike killed citizens of Britain and Poland, Palestinians and a dual citizen of the US and Canada. Those killed were working for the charity World Central Kitchen.
“We expect full accountability for her death and for the World Central Kitchen colleagues who also perished with her,” Wong said.
“We believe these deaths are utterly inexcusable and clear practical action is needed to ensure these tragedies are never repeated.”
Wong acknowledged that Israel has confirmed that two individuals involved in the air strike have since been “stood down.”
“We reiterate that appropriate action must be taken against the individuals who are responsible for these tragic accidents,” she added.
Wong described the air strike as a “deadly failure of deconfliction” — the process by which humanitarian agencies engage with military forces to ensure their safety in conflict zones.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese this week said he spoke with Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu and conveyed Australia’s anger and concern at Frankcom’s death.
Netanyahu has called the deaths a “tragic event in which Israeli forces unintentionally harmed non-combatants in the Gaza Strip.”
