Australia condemns Israel’s refusal to probe Gaza aid worker death

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said the Israeli ambassador had been summoned and formally presented with Australia’s concerns over the decision

Australia has strongly protested Israel’s decision not to launch a criminal investigation into the 2024 killing of an Australian aid worker in Gaza.

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said the Israeli ambassador had been summoned and formally presented with Australia’s concerns over the decision. She described the refusal to pursue a criminal inquiry as falling well short of the accountability standards Australia expects.

Wong said the Australian government was deeply outraged by the decision, stressing the need for proper accountability over the deaths of humanitarian workers.

The Israeli military, however, said it had found no grounds for opening a criminal investigation into the incident. Seven aid workers, including Australian national Zomi Frankcom, were killed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza in 2024.

The dispute has renewed international calls for greater accountability over the deaths of humanitarian personnel working in conflict zones.