Aid worker deaths

Special advisor: Israel’s response ‘timely and appropriate’

'The IDF strike on the WCK aid workers was not knowingly or deliberately directed against the WCK'

Air Chief Marshal Mark Binskin. Photo: Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Dominique A. Pineiro
Air Chief Marshal Mark Binskin. Photo: Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Dominique A. Pineiro

Israel’s “acceptance of accountability” for the botched strike on April 1 that killed seven aid workers, including an Australian, “and investigation, reporting and responding has, to this point, been timely, appropriate and, with some exceptions, sufficient,” the special advisor appointed by the government to look into the incident said on Friday.

Air Chief Marshal Mark Binskin said the IDF “has taken full accountability” for the incident in which the aid workers, who were employed by World Central Kitchen, were killed.

ACM Binskin’s assessment was “that the IDF strike on the WCK aid workers was not knowingly or deliberately directed against the WCK.”

His report also noted the steps undertaken by Israel in response to the event are in line with the processes of western militaries like the Australian Defence Forces.

Binskin said IDF chief of staff Herzi Halevi “acted quickly” to hold those responsible to account. “His actions in dismissing two officers from their positions and reprimanding three others was timely and appears appropriate to the situation,” Binskin said.

“However, while timely in their response, the brevity of the public statement made after the Fact-Finding and Assessment Mechanism [FFAM] investigation lacked the full detail surrounding the incident and led to confusion and speculation over what had actually happened and why.”

Binskin noted that in response to the incident, the IDF has taken some measures to better coordinate NGO activities in Gaza and to increase the oversight of strikes around humanitarian aid activities.

“However, more can be done to prioritise the safety of aid workers operating in Gaza,” he said.

“Operationally, there are always areas of improvement available. Of importance to coordinating NGO operations on the ground in Gaza, the continued focus on improved deconfliction measures that are trusted by the NGOs should remain at the forefront.”

He also recommended Israel make a formal apology. “As a part of such an apology, there would also be an opportunity for Israel to offer compensation to the families of those who were killed,” he said.

While in Israel in May, Binskin said his team “had access to all areas within the IDF that we had requested, including the Head of the FFAM and Chief of General Staff”.

“All requests were supported.”

Slain Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom. Photo: X

Foreign Minister Penny Wong said that following the report, Australia would press Israel to reform its coordination with humanitarian organisations to protect civilians and aid workers.

“Gaza remains the deadliest place on earth to be an aid worker,” she said.

“This is why the Australian Government is implementing all of ACM Binskin’s recommendations, including the recommendation for further calls on Israel to improve coordination and deconfliction with humanitarian organisations working on the ground.”

Wong said she wanted to ensure the tragic deaths of Zomi Frankcom and her World Central Kitchen colleagues are not in vain and not repeated.

“The Australian Government will persist until proper protections for aid workers are in place. The best protection for aid workers – and civilians – is a ceasefire,” she said.

“Israel’s process to determine accountability for the World Central Kitchen strikes is not over. The Military Advocate General of Israel is still to decide on further action. Our expectation remains that there be transparency about the Military Advocate General’s process and decision. I have written to my Israeli counterpart to this end.

“We will continue to press for full accountability, including any appropriate criminal charges.”

People inspect the site where World Central Kitchen workers were killed in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, April 2, 2024. Photo: Abdel Kareem Hana/AP

Shadow Foreign Minister Simon Birmingham said the report “has largely confirmed Israel’s accountability, transparency and cooperation, which will only add to questions about whether domestic politics led to the Albanese Government pursuing this unprecedented review of a foreign government’s military operations”.

“The report also demonstrated that many of the steps taken by Israel in response to this tragic event, including dismissal and reprimanding of officers, are analogous to the processes of other Western militaries and nations, including our own,” Birmingham said.

“As the report acknowledges, the situation in the Middle East is a complex situation but one thing is straightforward, which is the continued threat posed by Iranian sponsored terrorists whose capabilities we should continue to support the dismantling of.

“We all wish to see the bloodshed end and should apply maximum pressure on Hamas terrorists to agree to the most recent ceasefire proposal by releasing hostages and laying down arms.”

Zionist Federation of Australia president Jeremy Leibler said the findings of the report reaffirm that while the death of Ms Franckom was a tragic accident, “The IDF did not and does not target aid workers or any civilians.

Since October 7, Israel has been forced into a war that it did not start to remove Hamas, a genocidal terrorist organisation which has said it wishes to commit such horrors again,” he said. “In war, tragic accidents happen. Innocent lives could be spared and the war could end tomorrow if Hamas were to surrender and release the remaining hostages.”

ZFA CEO Alon Cassuto said, “The barbaric attacks committed by Hamas on October 7, and its refusal to lay down its arms, have caused widespread suffering and tragedy, including the deaths of Australians, Galit Carbone and Zomi Franckom.

“The Federal Government must apply pressure to Hamas to release the hostages and surrender, rather than to Israel, who as evidenced by this report, have complied and taken accountability for their mistake.”

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