Fears of Israeli ‘waiting game’ with Australia over Zomi Frankcom’s death
Israel's military has closed its investigation into the 2024 drone strike that killed Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom, concluding there was no criminal misconduct. The decision has drawn criticism from the Australian government and the victim's family, who are calling for an independent inquiry into the incident.
Why it matters
The case highlights ongoing international tensions regarding accountability for civilian deaths in conflict zones and the credibility of internal military investigations.
But when does an accidental killing become a criminal offence? In the case of Zomi Frankcom , an Australian killed in a drone strike while delivering humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip in 2024, Israel's military justice system has concluded there is no reasonable suspicion of criminal misconduct. It announced this month its decision to close the investigation into the death of Frankcom and six other World Central Kitchen (WCK) colleagues. Israel's ambassador to Australia, Hillel Newman, said there had been no intention to attack the aid workers and a "reasonable mistake" was made. "There are tragic circumstances in a war zone and we're very sorry for the family, but that does not always mean that there's criminal liability," Newman told ABC Radio National. Two Israel Defense Forces (IDF) officers were removed from their positions over the incident and another three were formally reprimanded.
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