SYDNEY: Australia summoned Israel’s ambassador on Thursday after the Israeli military decided not to pursue criminal proceedings over an airstrike that killed Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom and six World Central Kitchen colleagues in Gaza.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong said she was “outraged” by the decision and had summoned Ambassador Hillel Newman, while directing Australia’s ambassador to Israel to convey Canberra’s views directly to the Israeli government.
“This decision falls far short of the accountability we expect,” Wong said in a statement, adding that the Australian government was considering its next steps.
The Israeli military said Wednesday it had found no basis to open criminal investigations into the April 1, 2024 strike that killed seven World Central Kitchen workers as they delivered food and other humanitarian supplies in Gaza.
Frankcom, 43, was among those killed when Israeli strikes hit their clearly marked aid convoy. The other victims were from Poland, Britain, Palestine and the United States and Canada.
