Australia’s foreign minister has said she is “outraged” over an Israeli government decision not to prosecute those responsible for the death of aid worker Zomi Frankcom, who was killed in an IDF strike.
Frankcom was an Australian aid worker with World Central Kitchen who was killed in Gaza with six other colleagues by an Israeli airstrike in April 2024.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong said the decision “falls far short of the accountability we expect” and that she would call in the Israeli ambassador.
Australia would continue pressing Israel “for justice for Zomi and her colleagues”, she said in a statement on Thursday.
Wong said the Australian government had learned of Israel’s decision late on Wednesday night, adding that the outcome was “especially insulting” as it occurred on World Humanitarian Day.
“This is despite Israel Defense Forces admissions that the IDF strikes on Zomi and her colleagues’ vehicles were the result of serious failures to follow IDF procedures, mistaken identification and errors in decision-making,” she said.
“This decision falls far short of the accountability we expect.”
Wong said the government would continue pressing Israel “for justice for Zomi and her colleagues”.
“I will call in Israel’s Ambassador to Australia Hillel Newman and have directed Australia’s Ambassador to Israel to convey our views directly to Israel as the Australian Government considers next steps.”
