DaysofPal – Australia has formally called for potential criminal charges over the April 1, 2024, Israeli airstrike on a World Central Kitchen aid convoy in Gaza that killed seven people, including Australian aid worker Lalzawmi “Zomi” Frankcom.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told parliament on Wednesday that he raised the issue directly with Israeli President Isaac Herzog during his visit to Canberra, pressing for “full accountability, including any appropriate criminal charges” over the killing of Frankcom and her colleagues.
Frankcom’s brother recently expressed to SBS News that his family was disappointed by the Australian government’s invitation to Herzog but hoped it could advance the stalled investigation into his sister’s death.
Frankcom and six other aid workers were killed when their three-car convoy was struck by Israeli drones while carrying out humanitarian work for World Central Kitchen in Gaza.
“One of the issues that I have raised is Zomi and her six World Central Kitchen colleagues. These deaths were a tragedy and an outrage. We said that at the time,” Albanese said. “We have made it clear that remains the Australian government’s position, and we’ve also made clear our expectation that there be transparency about Israel’s ongoing investigation into the incident.”
Albanese added that Herzog had indicated he would respond to Canberra regarding the matters discussed, stressing, “We continue to press for full accountability, including any appropriate criminal charges.”
Herzog’s visit, his first since the deadly Bondi attack in Sydney in December, has sparked political backlash and large-scale protests across Australia. While the government defended the trip as a chance to address difficult issues through dialogue, critics accused Albanese of welcoming a leader they describe as complicit in war crimes in Gaza.
Hundreds of demonstrators gathered outside Parliament House in Canberra, with further protests in Sydney and Melbourne, where police made multiple arrests earlier in the week. Opposition figures, including Greens Deputy Leader Mehreen Faruqi and independent Senator David Pocock criticized the invitation, saying it intensified domestic tensions and undermined calls for accountability.
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