Britain, Canada and Australia have strongly criticised Israel’s decision to close its investigation into the deaths of seven humanitarian workers killed in Gaza in April 2024.
The three countries described the move as “shameful,” arguing that those responsible for the deaths of the World Central Kitchen (WCK) workers should be held accountable.
The aid workers were killed when an Israeli drone struck their vehicle convoy shortly after they had supervised the delivery of food aid in Gaza. The victims included three British nationals, an Australian, a Polish national, a Palestinian and a dual US-Canadian citizen.
The Israeli military previously described the incident as a “tragic mistake” and acknowledged that several errors had occurred at different levels of command.
However, following a preliminary review announced on Wednesday, Israel’s military prosecution authorities concluded that there was no “reasonable suspicion of criminal misconduct” and decided not to pursue a criminal investigation.
In a joint statement issued on Friday, Britain, Canada and Australia said they had spent more than two years urging Israel to conduct a thorough investigation and ensure accountability.
They also criticised the timing of the announcement, noting that it was made on World Humanitarian Day, when the international community was honouring humanitarian workers who risk their lives to assist people affected by conflict.
The three governments said the decision was particularly troubling because of the importance of protecting humanitarian personnel operating in war zones.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry defended the decision, saying it was made independently by military prosecution authorities based on legal and professional considerations.
The ministry expressed condolences to the families of the seven aid workers and reaffirmed Israel’s commitment to protecting humanitarian personnel, complying with international humanitarian law and preventing similar incidents in the future.
Meanwhile, World Central Kitchen has rejected the decision, describing it as deeply offensive and inconsistent with the full truth surrounding the deaths.
The US-based humanitarian organisation called for an independent investigation, arguing that the Israeli military could not credibly investigate its own conduct.
Australia had earlier expressed outrage over the closure of the investigation and summoned Israel’s ambassador to the country.
The April 2024 attack sparked widespread international condemnation and intensified concerns over the safety of humanitarian workers delivering aid to civilians in Gaza amid the ongoing conflict.
