Seven people, including an Australian, were killed when Israeli troops struck three World Central Kitchen vehicles in Gaza.
Australia has said an Israeli attack on a humanitarian aid convoy in Gaza in April was the result of “serious failings” but was not deliberate.
Six foreign aid workers and their Palestinian driver were killed in the airstrike on the World Central Kitchen convoy. The dead included Australian Zomi Frankcom, three Britons, a North American and a Pole.
A declassified report by former Australian air force chief Mark Binskin, released Friday, revealed that the three vehicles in the WCK convoy were “hit in relatively quick succession” after Israeli forces labelled it suspicious because some members of the group’s security team were armed and mistakenly believed the convoy was being hijacked by Hamas fighters.
The strike was the result of a “significant failure in situational awareness,” said Binskin, who traveled to Israel for his investigation.
The killings sparked widespread condemnation around the world and accusations that Israel deliberately targeted aviation workers, a claim the country denies.
Founded by celebrity chef José Andres, the US charity WCK provides food to areas ravaged by humanitarian crises, natural disasters and conflict. It suspended its operations after the attack, stressing that it had coordinated the convoy’s movements with the Israeli military and that its vehicles were clearly marked.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had earlier admitted that the army had struck the convoy, but said it was not intentional. The army called the attack a serious mistake.
Binskin said that, based on the information available to him, “the strike against WCK aid workers was not knowingly or deliberately directed against WCK.”
The Israeli investigation into the attack was “timely, appropriate and, with a few exceptions, sufficient,” he added.
“In this incident, it appears that IDF (Israel Defense Force) controls failed, leading to errors in decision-making and misidentification, likely compounded by some degree of confirmation bias.”
In a statement accompanying the report, Foreign Minister Penny Wong said Australia would press for full accountability for those responsible, including through criminal prosecutions if necessary.
“Israel’s military advocate general has yet to decide what action to take,” she said in a statement.
