Israel criticises Australian probe into killing of Gaza aid workers

The Israeli Embassy in Canberra on Monday criticised Australia for its report into an airstrike on the Gaza Strip which killed seven aid workers.

Zomi Frankcom, an Australian citizen, was one of seven World Central Kitchen (WCK) employees killed in an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) airstrike on the Gaza Strip on 1 April.

Mark Binskin, former chief of the Australian Defence Force, was tasked by the Australian government to monitor an Israeli investigation into the killings.

In a report released on Friday, Australia pressed Israel to reform its coordination with humanitarian organisations to protect civilians and aid workers.

However, Binskin’s report “regrettably included some misrepresentations and omitted crucial details,” the Israeli embassy said in a statement.

Australia had misrepresented the way the report was conducted, the “degree of cooperation and openness exhibited by the IDF, and even with respect to certain aspects of the tragic incident itself,” it added.

The Israeli embassy said while Binskin had “no investigative authority or mandate,” the IDF had fully engaged with him.

”We use this moment to again extend our deepest condolences to the Frankcom family, as well as to the families of the other six aid workers.

“We hold the critical humanitarian activity undertaken by international aid organisations in the highest regard, and consider this work to be of paramount importance.

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”As such we will continue to coordinate and assist in their operations, whilst taking all available measures to allow them to operate safely,” the statement said.

On Friday, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said its report had confirmed that the strikes were the result of serious failures to follow IDF procedures, mistaken identification and errors in decision-making.

”This is consistent with the IDF’s own assessment that this ‘incident should not have occurred’ and was a ‘grave mistake’,” she said.

“The Australian government will persist until proper protections for aid workers are in place. The best protection for aid workers and civilians is a ceasefire.

Australia would “continue to press for full accountability, including any appropriate criminal charges,” Ms Wong added.

(dpa/NAN)