Australia fumes as Israel rejects criminal probe into Zomi Frankcom killing
Said it was outraged on Thursday after the Israeli military ruled out criminal proceedings over the April 2024 drone strike in Gaza that killed
Australia said it was outraged on Thursday after the Israeli military ruled out criminal proceedings over the April 2024 drone strike in Gaza that killed Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom and six of her colleagues. The decision immediately deepened tensions between Canberra and Tel Aviv.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong summoned Israeli ambassador Hillel Newman to Parliament House and said the government had “no confidence” in the findings. In parliament, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called Israel’s decision to close the case without criminal charges an outrage and said he would keep pressing for justice.
Israel stands by its review
Newman defended the military’s process and declined to apologise for the deaths, saying the legal outcome meant officials would not be “lynch[ed]” in the streets. As he left Parliament House, he also accused Australia of harbouring “a lot of haters of Israel”.
“We have seen this time and time again,” he said.
The Israeli military said it had completed reviews of several “exceptional operational incidents” in Gaza and found no grounds to open a criminal investigation into the strike. According to reports cited by Australian and Israeli outlets, the army accepted that there were failures in assessing the convoy, but concluded the commanders’ decisions did not cross the criminal threshold.
The strike hit World Central Kitchen vehicles during a humanitarian mission in April 2024, killing seven aid workers. The convoy had coordinated its movement with the Israeli military. The vehicles were later found mangled and burned after repeated strikes.
Questions that remain open
Wong said Australia wanted the release of more evidence, including drone audio and footage, and would consult Frankcom’s family on possible next steps. The family said the decision was deeply disappointing and argued that Frankcom deserved more. They also called for the release of evidence tied to the strike.
Wong said the case had left relations with Israel in a “difficult time” and said the findings failed to answer key questions raised by the inquiry. The Greens and human rights lawyer Chris Sidoti have called for Newman’s expulsion, though Wong rejected that demand.
The diplomatic clash adds to pressure on Israel over the conduct of the Gaza war and the protection of aid workers, an issue that has drawn scrutiny far beyond Australia. The Frankcom case has become a sharp test of accountability, and neither side is backing away.
“Australia is outraged,” Wong said, “the Israeli Government has decided not to pursue criminal proceedings against those responsible for killing Zomi Frankcom and her World Central Kitchen colleagues.”
