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UK, Canada, Australia Slam Israel for Ending Probe into Aid Worker Killings
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia /Conflict & Security

UK, Canada, Australia Slam Israel for Ending Probe into Aid Worker Killings

From Asharq Al-Awsat · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Outcome reported
  • Britain, Canada, and Australia condemned Israel's decision to close its investigation into the deaths of seven aid workers in Gaza.
  • The aid workers, from multiple countries, died in a drone strike in April 2024.
  • Israel's military concluded there was no "reasonable suspicion of criminal misconduct" despite acknowledging errors.

Britain, Canada, and Australia have jointly condemned Israel's decision to close its investigation into the deaths of seven aid workers in Gaza, calling the move "shameful."

In the more than two years since, we have been pressing for Israel to swiftly and thoroughly consider the case and hold those responsible to account.

— Britain, Canada, and AustraliaThe three nations express their persistent calls for accountability following the aid worker deaths.

The World Central Kitchen employees, three Britons, a dual U.S.-Canadian national, a Pole, an Australian, and a Palestinian, were killed in a drone strike on their vehicle convoy in April 2024, shortly after overseeing the unloading of a food aid shipment. The Israeli military had previously described the incident as a "tragic mistake" and acknowledged a series of errors at various command levels.

The announcement by the Israeli army on 19 August 2026 that it would not pursue criminal investigations into this strike, without further explanation, is shameful.

— Britain, Canada, and AustraliaThe joint statement condemns Israel's decision to close the investigation.

In a joint statement released Friday, the three nations expressed their long-standing calls for Israel to "swiftly and thoroughly consider the case and hold those responsible to account." They stated that the Israeli army's August 19, 2026, announcement of not pursuing criminal investigations, "without further explanation, is shameful."

Announcing this decision on World Humanitarian Day, while the world honored the courage and sacrifice of humanitarians, was particularly egregious.

— Britain, Canada, and AustraliaThe joint statement criticizes the timing of the announcement.

The deaths sparked global outrage and renewed demands for the safety of humanitarian workers in Gaza. The joint statement highlighted the particular egregiousness of the decision being announced on World Humanitarian Day, a day meant to honor humanitarians' courage and sacrifice. World Central Kitchen also condemned the decision, deeming it "inconsistent with the full truth and deeply offensive" and demanding an independent commission to investigate, asserting that the Israeli army cannot credibly investigate its own conduct. Australia had previously summoned Israel's ambassador over the matter.

because the Israeli army cannot credibly investigate its own conduct.

— World Central KitchenWorld Central Kitchen explains its demand for an independent investigation.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Asharq Al-Awsat in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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