Israel’s response on aid worker killings just not good enough, says Penny Wong

The Albanese government has condemned Israel’s initial probe into its killing of seven aid workers in Gaza, announcing the ­appointment of a special adviser to ensure the investigation meets Australia’s expectations.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong said late on Friday that Australia wasn’t satisfied with the findings on the tragedy provided to Australia’s ambassador to ­Israel, Ralph King, and ­demanded the Israeli government preserve all evidence to ­ensure the ongoing integrity of the investigation.

The demand came just before the Israeli military announced it had sacked two officers and reprimanded three others for their roles in the strike.

In letters to their Israeli counterparts, Senator Wong and ­Defence Minister Richard Marles will insist that any Israeli Defence Force personnel found to have acted unlawfully will face “appropriate action”. They will also call for “urgent adjustments” to IDF targeting practices if they are found to have been a factor in the drone strike on three World Central Kitchen vehicles on Monday.

The letters will advise “a special adviser to the Australian government” will be appointed “to ensure the investigation has been conducted in a manner consistent with our expectations”.

Senator Wong said late on Friday that the earlier “information Israel has provided on its investigation hasn’t yet satisfied our expectations”.

The Foreign Minister said Australia was concerned at ­Israel’s earlier statements that those ­responsible for the drone strike had not yet been stood down, and ­expressed alarm at suggestions that such accidents were to be ­expected in war.

“These responses suggest the gravity of the death of seven humanitarian workers is yet to be appreciated by the Israeli government,” Senator Wong said.

Mr Marles said: “The Australian government has made clear that we expect full accountability for the deaths of Zomi Frankcom and her World Central Kitchen colleagues. These deaths were utterly inexcusable and clear practical action is needed to ensure such a tragedy is never repeated.”

Late on Friday night as Israel announced the soldiers’ sackings, Poland demanded a “criminal inquiry” by Israel into the deaths of the volunteers, which included a Polish worker.

As Australia demanded ­answers, the US for the first time linked military aid for Israel to the protection of civilians and aid workers. In a tense 30-minute phone call, Joe Biden warned ­Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he wanted to see “concrete tangible steps” to reduce civilian harm and improve access for humanitarian aid.

“He made clear that US policy with respect to Gaza will be determined by our assessment of ­Israel’s immediate action on these steps,” the White House said.

Hours later, in the middle of the night in Jerusalem, Israel announced it would open more aid routes into blockaded Gaza. Israel’s war cabinet authorised “temporary” aid deliveries via the Ashdod Port and the Erez land crossing, as well as increased ­deliveries from neighbouring Jordan at the Kerem Shalom crossing, Mr Netanyahu’s office said.

The White House quickly welcomed the announcement, saying the changes “must now be fully and rapidly implemented”.

World Central Kitchen founder Jose Andres has called for an independent investigation of the Israeli strikes that killed the group’s aid workers, including Frankcom, three Britons, a Polish national, a US-Canadian dual citizen, and a Palestinian.

Anthony Albanese backed the call, demanding “full accountability and transparency for this tragic event”.

Israeli Lieutenant Colonel Peter Lerner told the ABC the investigation into the strike was conducted by former military figures with “vast experience”, but was independent of the “chain of command”.

Echoing comments by Mr Netanyahu earlier in the week, Colonel Lerner said the deaths were part of “the nature of ­warfare”.

But he declared: “We have to do better than that. And I think that is our message this morning, from Israel … that we need to make sure that when people that are coming to do good, like the World Central Kitchen staff, and deliver humanitarian aid, to deliver food supplies, meals, they need to be able to work safely, we need to make sure that they are not in harm’s way.”