Australia ‘outraged’ over Israel decision to close probe into aid worker killings

Australia's top diplomat has voiced strong outrage over Israel's decision to forgo a criminal investigation into the deaths of Australian aid worker Lalzawmi "Zomi" Frankcom and her colleagues. The announcement came on World Humanitarian Day, a timing that Foreign Minister Penny Wong described as "especially insulting" to the victims' families and humanitarians.

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The Australian Government learnt of Israel’s decision late last night, moments before it was announced, on World Humanitarian Day – which is especially insulting to Zomi’s loved ones, humanitarians and all Australians.

Wong stated that Australia will summon Israel's ambassador, Hillel Newman, to Canberra to convey the government's profound disappointment and expectations for accountability. Australia's envoy in Israel has also been instructed to communicate these views directly to the Israeli government.

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Zomi represented the best of Australia. Her courage deserves to be celebrated. Her family deserves justice.

Frankcom, along with six other staff members from the aid organization World Central Kitchen, perished in April 2024 when their convoy was mistakenly targeted by an Israeli airstrike in Gaza. The incident sparked widespread international condemnation and intensified calls for greater protection for aid workers operating in conflict zones. While Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had previously acknowledged the "unintentional" nature of the strike, the Israeli military's decision on August 19 not to launch criminal probes into the deaths has been met with strong criticism from Australia, which insists that "this decision falls far short of the accountability we expect."

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This decision falls far short of the accountability we expect.