Australia ‘outraged’ as Israel rejects Zomi Frankcom criminal investigation while ambassador decries ‘haters’

Australia ‘outraged’ as Israel rejects Zomi Frankcom criminal investigation while ambassador decries ‘haters’


Israeli government decides not to pursue criminal proceedings over 2024 triple drone strike that killed Australian aid worker and six others


Tom McIlroy and Josh Butler

Thu 20 Aug 2026 16.11 AEST



Australia’s federal government has expressed “outrage” over the Israel Defense Forces decision not to open a criminal investigation into Gaza strikes that killed aid worker Zomi Frankcom and six of her colleagues.

Israel’s ambassador to Australia, Hillel Newman, who was called in for formal talks on Thursday, offered no concession, insisting the process was appropriate while refusing to apologise for the death of the Australian and her six humanitarian worker colleagues, citing legal implications.


“There are a lot of haters of Israel in Australia,” Newman said as he left Parliament House. “We have seen this time and time again.”

“A court came to decision that there’s no criminal liability, so we’re not going to lynch people on the streets, no.”


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In parliament, the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, slammed the decision.

“Israel’s decision to close their investigation without criminal proceedings is an outrage and it falls far short of the accountability that we expect and consistently called for on behalf of Australia,” he said.

“The Australian government will not stop pressing Israel for justice for Ms Frankcom and her colleagues.”

In a statement released on Thursday, the foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong called the timing of the decision not to open a criminal investigation, on World Humanitarian Day, “especially insulting”.


Wong 'outraged' at Israeli decision to not criminally investigate Zomi Frankcom killing – video

In addition to calling in Newman, Wong directed Australia’s ambassador to Israel, Neil Hawkins, “to convey our views directly to Israel as the Australian government considers next steps”.

The April 2024 strike hit a convoy of World Central Kitchen vehicles, killing seven humanitarian workers from the US-based aid group, which has distributed food in Gaza throughout the war.

The aid group said it had coordinated with the military over the movement of its cars. The vehicles, which had the group’s logo on their roofs visible from the air, were left incinerated and mangled, indicating a series of targeted strikes.Sign up for the Breaking News Australia email

The IDF said on Wednesday it had mistaken several individuals in the vehicles for armed Hamas military operatives, and that the convoy deviated from the previously coordinated route. It concluded that “the decisions of the commanders did not raise reasonable suspicion of criminal misconduct”. Two officers were removed from their positions at the time and three others reprimanded.

One of those killed in the strike was Frankcom, an Australian aid worker.

The Australian government has previously called the deaths a “tragedy and an outrage” and pressed for full accountability and “any appropriate criminal charges”. In February the Australian prime minister, Anthony Albanese, said he had made it clear to Israel and its president, Isaac Herzog, that Australia expected transparency about Israel’s investigation into the incident.

Australian aid worker killed by Israeli airstrike in Gaza

“Australia is outraged the Israeli Government has decided not to pursue criminal proceedings against those responsible for killing Zomi Frankcom and her World Central Kitchen colleagues,” Wong said in a statement.


“The Australian government learned of Israel’s decision late last night, moments before it was announced, on World Humanitarian Day – which is especially insulting to Zomi’s loved ones, humanitarians and all Australians.

“Zomi represented the best of Australia. Her courage deserves to be celebrated. Her family deserves justice.”

Wong said the move “falls far short of the accountability we expect” and that she would consider further action after speaking with Frankcom’s family.

Wong said it was “a difficult time” in Australia’s relationship with Israel.

“This is despite Israel Defense Forces admissions that the IDF strikes on Zomi and her colleagues’ vehicles were the result of serious failures to follow IDF procedures, mistaken identification and errors in decision-making.”

This was confirmed by the special adviser Air Chief Marshal Mark Binskin’s report, Wong said.

“Democracies seek and accept higher standards. The Australian Government will not stop pressing Israel for justice for Zomi and her colleagues.”

Newman said the investigators had found no criminal liability by the soldiers involved. Israel has refused to release audio from drone footage of the attack, including to assist Binskin’s investigation.

“Criminal liability, even if there are failures in the process, it doesn’t mean that the person had intention or that there is any criminal responsibility for the action.”

He said the convoy had not told Israeli authorities that armed personnel were onboard or that it was changing its planned route and departure time.

“All these circumstances, conditional aspects, led the soldiers at the time to believe that this convoy had been taken over and controlled by Hamas, and they opened fire.

“It was a mistake in retrospect, but the findings of the court are that there was no criminal intention, there was no intention to hit at aid workers, and therefore there is no criminal responsibility.”

He expressed sorrow and grief to Frankcom’s family, but said there were failures “on both sides”.

“There were mistakes made by the convoy, but there were mistakes made by Israel.

“The important issue is that there was no intention to kill innocent people. There was a true belief that Hamas had taken control of the convoy, and therefore there is no criminal liability.”

World Central Kitchen said it strongly disagreed with Israeli officials’ account of the airstrikes and their decision not to pursue a criminal investigation.

“There has never been any excuse or justification for the attacks, and there is nothing in this account that does so. The decision is inconsistent with the full truth and deeply offensive,” it said in a statement.

“At the time of the lethal attacks, the IDF knew that our team in Gaza was unarmed and posing a threat to nobody. It had full visual clarity on our clearly marked humanitarian vehicles during the extended, multiple airstrikes. It knew our team’s movements, identities and activities in advance.”


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The former human rights commissioner Chris Sidoti said the federal government should send Newman home.

Sidoti was a member of the United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel.

“The minister, when she sees the ambassador, should tell him that he’s going home. I don’t support breaking diplomatic relations with Israel. I don’t support the closing of embassies, but this bloke is clearly an unacceptable representative.”

The Greens leader, Larissa Waters, demanded Israel’s government be hit with new sanctions.

“The Australian government sending some strongly worded statements has meant nothing,” she told ABC radio. “Now it is time that the Australian government puts on sanctions against the state of Israel and stops sending weapons parts to this genocide.”

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Shailok bastidos had even massacred US sailors, let alone Aussie aid workers