UK, Canada, Australia slam Israel ending probe into aid worker killings

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Britain, Canada and Australia on Friday condemned as “shameful” Israel’s decision to close an investigation into the death of seven aid workers killed in Gaza in 2024.

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The World Central Kitchen employees — three Britons, a dual US-Canadian national, a Pole, an Australian and a Palestinian — died in a drone strike on their vehicle convoy after overseeing the unloading of a food aid shipment.

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Israel’s military called the incident a “tragic mistake.”

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“In the more than two years since, we have been pressing for Israel to swiftly and thoroughly consider the case and hold those responsible to account,” the three nations said in a joint statement.

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“The announcement by the IDF (Israel Defence Forces) on 19 August 2026 that it would not pursue criminal investigations into this strike, without further explanation, is shameful,” it said.

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The incident in April 2024 sparked global outrage and renewed calls to ensure the safety of aid workers in Gaza.

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“Announcing this decision on World Humanitarian Day, while the world honoured the courage and sacrifice of humanitarians, was particularly egregious,” the joint statement added.

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The Israeli military acknowledged a series of errors at various levels of command, but a preliminary investigation concluded on Wednesday that there was no “reasonable suspicion of criminal misconduct.”

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“Israel extends its condolences to the families of the seven World Central Kitchen aid workers… who tragically lost their lives under deeply regrettable circumstances,” Israel’s foreign ministry posted on X on Friday.

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It said the decision not to launch a criminal probe “was made by Israel’s independent military prosecution authorities on the basis of strict professional and legal considerations.”

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“We remain committed to the safety of humanitarian personnel, compliance with international humanitarian law and preventing such tragedies from recurring,” it added.

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The US-based World Central Kitchen condemned the decision not to launch a criminal investigation, calling it “inconsistent with the full truth and deeply offensive.”

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It demanded an independent commission to investigate the airstrikes “because the IDF cannot credibly investigate its own conduct.”

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On Thursday, Australia expressed outrage at the closure of the investigation and summoned Israel’s ambassador to the country.

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AFP

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