Australia on Thursday condemned Israel’s decision to close its criminal investigation into the deaths of Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom and six World Central Kitchen colleagues killed in Gaza in April 2024.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong called the decision a serious setback for accountability and said relationsbetween Canberra and Tel Aviv were going through a “difficult time”.
Australia summoned Israeli Ambassador Hillel Newman to Parliament House after Israel’s decision to clear its soldiers over the strike, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
“Obviously, this is a difficult time in a relationship. We made our views clear about this issue,” Wong told reporters after the meeting.
She said Australia was “realistic” about the Israeli government’s response to its concerns, but stressed that Frankcom was killed in three separate strikes targeting a humanitarian convoy.
Wong said Israel’s decision to clear the soldiers effectively meant that a criminal investigation would not proceed.
She said the decision failed to address key questions raised during the inquiry and reiterated the Australian government’s demand for Israel to release drone footage of the strike.
Asked whether Australia would take further action, Wong said the government would consult Frankcom’s family.
“The Australian Government learned 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 said in an earlier statement.
“This decision falls far short of the accountability we expect,” she added.
Frankcom, an Australian national, was killed alongside six other World Central Kitchen workers in Gaza in April 2024 when an Israeli airstrike hit their convoy.
The vehicles were clearly marked as belonging to the humanitarian organisation.
Wong said the Israeli military had acknowledged that the strikes were the result of serious failures to follow its procedures, mistaken identification and errors in decision-making.
She said Australia would continue to press Israel to ensure accountability, arguing that democratic countries should hold themselves to higher standards.
The dispute has added to tensions in relations between Australia and Israel over the handling of the deaths of humanitarian workers in Gaza.
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Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has slowed, according to the latest data, as uncertainty over the waterway’s reopening kept most shipowners away. Six commodity vessels crossed the strait on Tuesday, down from nine the day before and below the 10-day daily average of 11.
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Iran has said the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the U.S. fulfils the terms of an interim deal, including lifting the maritime blockade and sanctions and releasing Iran’s frozen assets.
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