Netanyahu admits Israeli strike 'unintentionally' killed aid workers
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More news: Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has commented on the Israeli strike which killed seven people working for the food aid charity World Central Kitchen, including Australian citizen Zomi Francom.
In a video address Netanyahu said: "Unfortunately, in the last 24 hours there was a tragic case of our forces unintentionally hitting innocent people in the Gaza Strip. It happens in war, we check it to the end, we are in contact with the governments, and we will do everything so that this thing does not happen again."
PM Anthony Albanese confirms Australian aid worker killed in Gaza
The news: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has confirmed Israel killed an Australian aid worker in an airstrike in Gaza, saying he will demand an explanation for the “completely unacceptable” incident from ambassador Amir Maimon.
The numbers: Zomi Frankcom is the first Australian civilian confirmed killed in the conflict since Galit Carbone, who was murdered in Hamas’ attack on 7 October. Another Australian, Lior Sivan, died fighting for the Israeli Defence Force in Gaza in January. The Hamas-run Gaza health ministry said on Monday that nearly 33,000 people have been killed in the enclave since October 7.
The context: Frankcom was working for World Central Kitchen in Gaza. Images circulating online this morning appeared to show Frankcom’s body and a bloodied Australian passport. Australia has grown increasingly frustrated with Israel over the mounting death toll in Gaza, and has urged it not to launch a ground invasion of Rafah, where more than a million Palestninians are currently sheltered.
Maimon criticised Australia for restoring funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency last month.
What they said: “Australia expects full accountability for the deaths of aid workers. This news today is tragic. DFAT has also requested a call in from the Israeli Ambassador to Australia as well. We want full accountability for this, because this is a tragedy that should never have occurred. Zomi Frankcom was … doing extraordinarily valuable work,” Albanese said today.
