The Albanese government is pressing Israel to take further action against the troops responsible for the killing of Australian Zomi Frankcom and six fellow aid workers if they are found guilty of wrong-doing after being left unsatisfied by the initial probe into their deaths.
It is also urging Israel to co-operate with an Australian review – which an international law expert described as “unprecedented in modern times” – of the Israeli Defence Forces’ investigation into the strikes on the aid convoy in Gaza.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong decried the operation that killed the aid workers as a “deadly failure”.
“It cannot be brushed aside, and it cannot be covered over,” Wong said at a press conference in Adelaide on Saturday.
“We believe these deaths are utterly inexcusable, and clear practical action is needed to ensure these tragedies (are) never repeated. We reiterate that appropriate action must be taken against the individuals who are responsible for these tragic events.”
The investigation by the IDF – released late on Friday – resulted in two Israeli officers being stood down from their positions and disciplinary action taken against two commanding officers.
The review found the killings occurred after IDF troops mistakenly concluded that Hamas gunmen were travelling with the World Central Kitchen charity convoy and concluded the operation was “carried out in serious violation of the commands and IDF standard operating procedures”.
Read the article by Matthew Knott in The Age.