Australian FM ‘outraged’ at IDF decision to close probe on 2024 killing of Gaza aid workers, including Australian citizen

Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong expresses “outrage” at Israel’s decision to close an IDF probe into an April 2024 attack that killed seven World Central Kitchen aid workers, including Australian woman Zomi Frankcom.

Wong says her government was informed of the decision not to pursue a criminal investigation into the incident moments before it was announced yesterday, leaving officials no time to inform Frankcom’s family before it became public.

“There are still many unanswered questions,” Wong says.

Questions include why the convoy was struck three times in a designated humanitarian zone and why a senior brigade officer involved in the strikes was a signatory to a letter urging the restriction of aid to Gaza, Wong adds. Australia had yet to receive drone recordings from the attack, despite seeking them multiple times, she says.

“The Australian government does not believe that the removal of two officers from their positions and three officers being reprimanded is sufficient accountability for the deaths of seven people, including an Australian citizen,” Wong says.

The minister hours earlier summoned Israel’s envoy to Canberra Hillel Newman for a meeting. However, she won’t expel the ambassador, Wong says, citing a need to continue engaging diplomatically with Israel.

Newman tells reporters after the meeting that he is “very sorry” for Frankcom’s family, but did not apologize for her killing.

“One cannot attack findings of a court if the findings are not suitable to one’s political agenda,” Israel’s envoy says, adding that the finding of no criminal liability came “after two years of independent research.”