Australia summons Israel envoy over aid worker deaths

Australia summoned Israel's ambassador on Thursday and expressed outrage at a decision by its military not ​to pursue criminal proceedings over the death of an Australian aid worker in ‌a 2024 airstrike in Gaza.

The Israeli military said on Wednesday it had found no basis to investigate the killings of seven aid workers with the World Central Kitchen charity, including Australian Zomi Frankcom, ​after a fact-finding and assessment procedure.

"This decision falls far short of the accountability ​we expect," Foreign Minister Penny Wong said, adding that Australia was ⁠outraged by the decision.

"Democracies seek, and accept higher standards. The Australian government will not ​stop pressing Israel for justice for Zomi and her colleagues."

In her statement, Wong said she ​had told Australia's envoy in Israel to convey its views directly to the Israeli government as Canberra considers its next steps.

The attack drew widespread condemnation from the United States and several allies after ​citizens of Britain and Poland, as well as Palestinians and a dual U.S.-Canadian citizen ​were among those killed.

The investigation had concluded there was no criminal liability for the soldiers involved ‌in the ⁠attack, said Hillel Newman, Israel's ambassador to Australia, although there had been operational failures by the Israeli military.

"It was a mistake, in retrospect, but the findings of the court are that there was no criminal intention, no intention to hit at aid workers, ​and therefore no criminal ​responsibility," Newman told ⁠reporters in Canberra after meeting Wong.

Newman said the aid workers' convoy deviated from a pre-approved route and may have carried armed ​personnel, leading the Israeli military to believe it had been taken ​over by ⁠militant group Hamas.

More than 73,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks since the start of the Gaza war in 2023, with thousands more killed in Israeli military operations in ⁠southern ​Lebanon. The dead include aid workers, doctors, journalists and ​others.

Israel's military says its attacks target Hamas and Hezbollah militants. It has said it opens investigations into some attacks ​involving civilian deaths.

-Reuters