Source : Perth Now news
The brother of Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom is demanding accountability from Israel after she was killed in a military strike that struck a convoy of humanitarian personnel in Gaza.
An Israeli strike hit a World Central Kitchen aid convoy on April 1, 2024, killing Ms Frankcom and six other workers.
The humanitarian convoy was marked but the Israeli military initially claimed it was being used by Hamas, before acknowledging the misidentification and errors in the decision-making process.
Two Israeli officers were dismissed from their positions and three senior officers were formally reprimanded, according to the Israeli military.
Zomi’s brother Mal demanded accountability on Tuesday as Israel’s ambassador addressed the National Press Club in Canberra.
“What happened on April 1, 2024 absolutely devastated my family,” he said.
“Two years on, we are still waiting for accountability and justice to be served for her and for her fellow team members.
“Just to remind everyone, they were targeted not once or twice, but three times, taking out all three vehicles in the convoy, resulting in seven heroic aid workers being left to die on the side of the road.”
Australia has requested audio of the drone strike footage on behalf of the family, but Israel has so far refused to comply.
Israeli ambassador Hillel Newman said there may be intelligence reasons why it hasn’t been shared but would follow up.
He said the delay could be because legal cases in Israel could take years, and not because the investigation had been shelved, but would follow up on the case.
He was also asked about the status of the investigation more than three weeks ago, when he also said he would follow up after only having recently arrived in Australia.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also raised Ms Frankcom’s death with Israeli President Isaac Herzog in February, demanding transparency and accountability.
Crossbench MPs stood alongside Mr Frankcom at Parliament House, also demanding accountability and an apology from the new ambassador.
The ambassador replied, “sympathy has been expressed” when he was asked whether he would apologise to the family.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong said representations had been made to Israel.
“We continue to press for full accountability, including any appropriate criminal charges,” she told the Senate on Wednesday.
Australia spearheaded a declaration to protect humanitarian personnel, which Senator Wong launched on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, alongside Mr Frankcom in September.
It has been signed by 112 nations, but not Israel or the United States.
