The Israeli military's attack on an aid convoy in Gaza in April that killed seven people was the result of serious failures of defense procedures, mistaken identification, and errors in decision-making, according to an Australian investigation that was made public Friday. Australia initiated the investigation to examine Tel Aviv's response to the widely condemned Israeli Defense Forces' drone strikes on three World Central Kitchen vehicles on April 1, the AP reports. Australian Zomi Frankcom, three of her aid worker colleagues, and three British personal security staff died in the attack.
Former Australian Defense Force Chief Mark Binskin was appointed the government's special adviser on the matter and visited Israel in May. He also engaged with WCK and Solace Global, the company that provided the convoy's security team.
- Binskin blamed the fatal strikes on "serious failures to follow IDF procedures, mistaken identification, and errors in decision-making," a statement said. The armed security guards were likely mistaken for Hamas operatives, Binskin said. This was the primary factor behind a "significant break down in situational awareness."
- He found the strikes were not deliberately directed against WCK, but wrote: "It is important to all the families that an appropriate apology be provided to them by the government of Israel."
- Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said she had told Israel that the families deserved an apology. While Binskin's report outlined steps Israel had taken to avoid a repeat tragedy, "stronger protocols" were needed to protect aid workers in Gaza, Wong said.
- "Gaza remains the deadliest place on earth to be an aid worker. This was not a one-off incident," Wong told reporters. "The UN reports that more than 250 aid workers have been killed since the start of this conflict and in recent weeks, a number of UN vehicles have come under attack. This is not acceptable."
- Binskin said his conclusions were "fairly consistent" with an Israeli military investigation in April that led to two officers being dismissed and three being reprimanded within a week of the bungled attack. Military Advocate General Brig. Gen. Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi, Israel's top military lawyer, is considering further potential action against those responsible.
- Wong said the Frankcom family felt that disciplinary action to date had been insufficient. The other WCK staff killed were American-Canadian dual national Jacob Flickinger, Palestinian Saifeddin Issam Ayad Abutaha, and Polish citizen Damian Sobol. On the British security team were John Chapman, James Kirby, and Jim Henderson.
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