Australia 'outraged' after Israel decides not to prosecute over aid worker's death in Gaza
Israel has decided not to prosecute anyone over the death of Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom in Gaza, prompting Australia's foreign minister to call the decision inadequate. Canberra says it will summon Israel's ambassador to voice its objections.
Australia's Foreign Minister Penny Wong has said she is "outraged" after Israel's government decided not to prosecute those responsible for the death of aid worker Zomi Frankcom in Gaza.
Frankcom, an Australian national working for World Central Kitchen, was killed alongside six colleagues in an Israeli airstrike on their vehicles in April 2024.
Wong said the decision "falls far short of the accountability we expect" and confirmed she would summon Israel's ambassador to Australia. She said the Australian government learned of Israel's decision late on Wednesday night, calling the timing "especially insulting" since it coincided with World Humanitarian Day.
IDF acknowledged failures
Wong pointed out that the decision came despite the Israel Defense Forces' own admissions that the strikes resulted from serious breaches of IDF procedure, mistaken identification of the target, and flawed decision-making.
She said Australia would keep pressing Israel to deliver justice for Frankcom and her colleagues. Wong added that she would call in Ambassador Hillel Newman and had instructed Australia's ambassador to Israel to convey the government's position directly, as officials consider further steps.
