Britain, Canada and Australia condemn Israel’s decision against criminal probes into aid worker deaths

The governments of Britain, Canada and Australia have issued a joint statement sharply criticizing the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) for deciding not to pursue criminal investigations into the 2024 strike that killed seven World Central Kitchen (WCK) aid workers in Gaza. The victims included three British nationals, an Australian, a Polish citizen, a dual US-Canadian national, and a Palestinian. The IDF's internal inquiry concluded that troops had mistakenly identified the convoy as being under the control of Hamas operatives. Despite acknowledging serious failures in identification, the Chief Military Prosecutor determined there was no reasonable suspicion of criminal misconduct, leading to the closure of the case. The three nations labeled the decision, announced on World Humanitarian Day, as 'shameful' and 'particularly egregious.' Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong expressed her 'outrage,' stating the outcome falls short of expected accountability, and confirmed that Israel's ambassador would be summoned. Following the initial 2024 incident, the IDF had dismissed two officers and reprimanded senior commanders, but has now ruled out further criminal proceedings.