4-4-2024 (GAZA) Israel’s explanation for the deaths of seven aid workers, including Australian woman Zomi Frankcom, in a Gaza airstrike is “not good enough,” Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Thursday (Apr 4). The tragic incident has drawn widespread condemnation from the United States and several allies.
Israel claimed on Tuesday that it mistakenly killed workers of the charity World Central Kitchen, a statement that has failed to satisfy the Australian leader. “We need to have accountability for how it has occurred, and what is not good enough is the statements that have been made, including that this is just a product of war,” Albanese said during a press conference in Sydney.
Albanese seemed to be referring to comments from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a video message on Tuesday, where he stated, “this happens in war,” as the Israeli military promised an independent investigation.
Celebrity chef Jose Andres, the founder of World Central Kitchen, told Reuters on Wednesday that the Israeli attack had targeted his workers “systematically, car by car.” He said the World Central Kitchen workers in Gaza had clear communication with the military, which knew their movements.
Albanese asserted that Frankcom was traveling in a vehicle clearly identified as an aid vehicle and should not have been at risk. He demanded full accountability during a call with Netanyahu on Wednesday.
“They have committed to a full and proper investigation. I want that to be transparent, and I want those findings to be made public so that we find out how exactly this can occur,” he said.
The deadly airstrike claimed the lives of citizens from Australia, Britain, Poland, Palestine, and a dual citizen of the United States and Canada, sparking outrage and calls for a thorough and impartial investigation.
