Australia to appoint special advisor on Gaza aid staff deaths probe

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
7 Apr 2024 05:59

Australia's FM says her country wants detailed answers as to how aid workers from the World Central Kitchen were killed by Israeli forces last Monday.

People inspect the site where World Central Kitchen workers were killed in an Israeli air strike in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, Tuesday, April 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

Australia has said it will appoint a special advisor to work with "Israel" to ensure "transparency" in an investigation into an Israeli air strike on Gaza that killed seven aid workers, including an Australian.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong said Australia wants detailed answers as to how aid workers from the US-based World Central Kitchen were killed by Israeli forces last Monday.

The group included 43-year-old Australian national Lalzawmi "Zomi" Frankcom, as well as British, Palestinian, Polish, and US-Canadian employees.

Wong told reporters Saturday that information about the strike provided so far by "Israel" was not sufficient and that the Australian government wants its own "suitably qualified person" to monitor the investigation.

"The government will appoint a special adviser who we have requested the Israelis work with so we can be advised about the appropriateness of the process," Wong said.

"We want to have full confidence in the transparency and accountability of any investigation."

The Israeli occupation military said it fired two officers over the killing of the aid workers in Gaza.

Wong said details of the special advisor will be announced in the "very near future".

On Wednesday, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese demanded "full accountability" for the killing of Frankcom, during a telephone call with Israeli occupation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Albanese said the attack on WCK would only add to international concerns over "the extraordinary loss of life" in the Gaza Strip.

He said that he "conveyed to Prime Minister Netanyahu in very clear terms that Australians were outraged by this death, by this tragedy, of this fine Australian."

"I expressed Australia’s anger and concern at the death of Zomi Frankcom," Albanese said.

Meanwhile, Netanyahu issued a public comment, stating that such incidents happened in times of war. According to Albanese, the Israeli premier "did accept responsibility" for the events.

"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," the Australian Prime Minister stressed.

"This is against humanitarian law – international humanitarian law makes it very clear that aid workers should be able to provide that aid and that assistance free of the threat of losing their life," he added.