UK, Australia, Canada Lead 28 Nations in Condemning Israel Over Gaza Aid Killings Probe Closure

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

UK, Australia, Canada Lead 28 Nations in Condemning Israel Over Gaza Aid Killings Probe Closure

The United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada have condemned Israel’s decision to close a criminal investigation into the 2024 killing of seven World Central Kitchen (WCK) aid workers in Gaza, calling the move “shameful” and “both too little, and too late.” The announcement came on World Humanitarian Day, August 19, 2026, a timing the three governments described as “particularly egregious.”

The Israeli military announced on August 19 that it would not pursue criminal proceedings into the April 1, 2024 strike on the WCK convoy, saying there was no reasonable suspicion of criminal misconduct. The attack killed seven humanitarian workers who were delivering food to civilians in Gaza. The victims included Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom, three British security personnel, a dual Canadian-US citizen Jacob Flickinger, Polish national Damian Sobol, and Palestinian Saifeddin Issam Ayad Abutaha. The deadly strike occurred despite the convoy having coordinated its route with the Israeli military, and the vehicles were clearly marked with the WCK logo.

In a joint statement issued on August 21, the foreign ministries of the three countries said they had spent more than two years pressing Israel to conduct a swift and thorough investigation into the attack and hold those responsible to account. The governments noted that at the time, the Israel Defense Forces had described the incident as a serious mistake and failure, and that in the more than two years since, they had been pressing for Israel to swiftly and thoroughly consider the case and hold those responsible to account. The statement said the decision to close the case without further explanation was “shameful” and that announcing it on World Humanitarian Day, while the world honoured the courage and sacrifice of humanitarians, was particularly egregious. The governments stressed that the World Central Kitchen attack was not an isolated incident, arguing that the lack of accountability extended to numerous other incidents involving humanitarian workers in Gaza, noting that despite a fragile ceasefire, Gaza remains the deadliest place to deliver aid, with 186 humanitarian workers killed in 2025.

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Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong separately expressed outrage at the decision, stating that the Israeli military’s response fell short of the standards of accountability Australia expected following the killing of Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom and six other WCK workers. Wong summoned Israel’s ambassador to Australia, Hillel Newman, to express her concerns and later acknowledged that relations between Australia and Israel were at a “difficult time.” She said the government had learned of Israel’s decision moments before it was announced on World Humanitarian Day, which she described as “especially insulting to Zomi’s loved ones, humanitarians and all Australians.” The foreign minister said key questions remained unanswered, including why two further strikes followed the initial attack, each two minutes apart, why the strikes occurred in a humanitarian “fire control” zone, and Israel’s repeated refusals to hand over audio evidence of the attack. Wong stated that Australia did not have confidence in the IDF’s Military Advocate-General’s process given the many unanswered questions.

Frankcom’s family expressed deep disappointment and called on the Australian government to pursue all available legal avenues for an independent and credible investigation. Her brother, Josh Frankcom, said Israel’s decision was “simply not good enough.” The family has been vocal in demanding accountability for Zomi’s death, and they have questioned why the Israeli military has not provided a satisfactory explanation for the attack.

Israeli Ambassador to Australia Hillel Newman defended the military investigation, saying it was thorough and that the findings should not be attacked if they were not suitable to one’s political agenda. He said the IDF conceded serious failures had led soldiers to mistakenly believe a Hamas fighter was travelling with the convoy, but concluded there was no criminal intent. Newman said Israel was open to discussing reparations for Frankcom’s family if a formal request was lodged, but he stopped short of offering a formal apology, saying doing so could have legal ramifications. The IDF’s decision came alongside announcements that it would open criminal investigations into two other high-profile Gaza incidents: the killing of six-year-old Hind Rajab and six family members in January 2024, and the killing of 15 rescue workers in a Rafah convoy in March 2024. The United Nations has accused Israel of failing to provide adequate accountability for civilian deaths in Gaza, and the latest decision is likely to deepen international isolation for Israel.