Australia's foreign minister has expressed outrage following Israel's decision not to prosecute those responsible for the death of Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom. Frankcom was killed in April 2024 along with six colleagues when an Israeli airstrike hit their vehicles in Gaza.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong stated that the decision "falls far short of the accountability we expect" and that she would summon the Israeli ambassador to Australia, Hillel Newman. Australia will continue to press Israel for justice for Frankcom and her colleagues, Wong said in a statement released Thursday.
Wong learned of the decision late Wednesday night, describing the outcome as "especially insulting" given it occurred on World Humanitarian Day. She noted that this decision came despite admissions from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) that the strike resulted from "serious failures to follow IDF procedures, mistaken identification and errors in decision-making."
Australia's ambassador to Israel has been directed to convey the government's views directly to Israeli officials as Australia considers its next steps.