Australia condemns Israel's decision on Gaza aid worker killing

Australia expressed outrage on Thursday, August 20, 2026, after Israel announced it would not pursue criminal charges against military personnel involved in a 2024 airstrike that killed Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom and six colleagues. The decision, announced on World Humanitarian Day, came as Israel simultaneously opened criminal investigations into other high-profile incidents in Gaza, including the 2024 killing of five-year-old Hind Rajab and the 2025 murder of 15 Palestinian first responders.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong condemned the move regarding the World Central Kitchen attack, stating it "fell far short of the accountability we expect." She revealed that the Australian government learned of the decision shortly before it was made public and summoned Israel's ambassador, Hillel Newman, to convey its position. Wong affirmed that Australia would not stop pressing Israel for justice and had directed its ambassador in Israel to deliver the message directly.

The deadly strike occurred on April 1, 2024, when a World Central Kitchen convoy delivering food in Gaza was hit by Israeli Defense Forces airstrikes. The victims included Frankcom, a 43-year-old Australian, along...