Australia summoned Israel's ambassador, Hillel Newman, on Wednesday after the Israeli military announced it wouldn't open a criminal investigation into the April 2024 strike in Deir al-Balah that killed seven aid workers. This decision, coming more than two years after the incident, has drawn sharp condemnation from both Australian officials and the World Central Kitchen (WCK) organization. The strike, which occurred in the occupied Gaza Strip, targeted WCK vehicles during a humanitarian aid operation.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong stated that the decision “falls far short of the accountability we expect.” She added that Australia was outraged by the military's findings. Wong emphasized that “Democracies seek, and accept higher standards,” and affirmed that the Australian government won't stop pressing Israel for justice for Zomi Frankcom, an Australian citizen, and her colleagues who died in the attack. Canberra is now considering its next steps, with Wong having instructed Australia's envoy in Israel to convey its views directly to the Israeli government.
Impunity for Occupation Forces
The Israeli army had completed reviews of several “exceptional operational incidents” in Gaza, concluding that despite “failures” in assessing that Hamas operatives were in the vehicles, the commanders' decisions “did not cross the criminal threshold.” Two officers were dismissed, and three senior commanders were reprimanded following an initial review. Ambassador Newman reiterated that the investigation found no criminal liability for the soldiers involved, attributing the deaths to a “mistake” without criminal intention. He suggested the convoy deviated from a pre-approved route and “may have carried armed personnel,” leading the military to believe it had been taken over by Hamas.
However, the World Central Kitchen directly challenged the Israeli military's account. “We strongly condemn the Israeli military prosecutor's account of the deaths of our seven colleagues on April 1, 2024,” WCK stated. They fundamentally disagreed with the decision regarding criminal investigations into the airstrikes. The organization asserted that there has never been any excuse or justification for the attacks, and nothing in the military's account provides one. WCK called the decision “inconsistent with the full truth and deeply offensive.”
Humanitarian Aid Under Fire
World Central Kitchen detailed that at the time of the lethal attacks, the Israeli military knew its team in Gaza was unarmed and posed no threat. The IDF, they stated, had “full visual clarity on our clearly marked humanitarian vehicles during the extended, multiple airstrikes.” Furthermore, the military knew the team's movements, identities, and activities in advance. WCK accused the military investigation of conflating different timelines and events, muddling the story, and shifting the blame for the IDF's “illegal conduct.”
Immediately after the incident, WCK filed a complaint with the IDF, demanding the army stop firing toward its staff and guarantee their safety while distributing food in the Gaza Strip. This distribution was carried out with full coordination, yet the IDF did not comment on the organization's inquiry at the time. Ambassador Newman conveyed “deep sorrow” for Frankcom's family, stating, “we grieve with you, we are very sorry for the circumstances that brought about this death. Any innocent life is a tragedy.” His words, however, stand in stark contrast to the military's refusal to pursue criminal charges for the deaths of aid workers operating under clear humanitarian protocols in occupied territory.