A sharp wave of international condemnation has swept across the global diplomatic community after Israel announced it would not open any criminal investigation into the 2024 airstrike that killed seven humanitarian workers from the US-based non-profit World Central Kitchen (WCK) in central Gaza. The United Kingdom, Canada and Australia, three nations long counted among Israel’s closest international partners, issued a joint public statement Friday labeling the decision “shameful”.
The Israeli military made its announcement of no criminal probe on August 19, 2026, offering no additional justification or context for the choice. The three allied nations highlighted that the timing of the announcement, released on World Humanitarian Day, makes the refusal to pursue accountability “particularly egregious”.
“This decision is both too little and too late. The victims of this incident and their families deserve justice and accountability, and we will continue to seek answers on their behalf,” the joint statement read.
The targeted WCK convoy was clearly marked as a humanitarian mission when it was struck by Israeli aircraft. Among the seven workers killed was a Polish volunteer, prompting Poland’s government to summon Israel’s ambassador to Warsaw this week to protest the investigative refusal. The attack itself, which took place in 2024, has long been a flashpoint for global anger over the escalating danger facing aid workers in the blockaded Gaza Strip.
New UN data released this week underscores the scale of the risk humanitarian personnel face in Gaza. The UN reported that in 2025 alone, Israeli attacks on the enclave killed 186 aid workers – accounting for more than half of all humanitarian worker fatalities recorded across the globe that year.
The UK’s participation in the joint condemnation marks a notable shift in the country’s policy towards the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. New British Prime Minister Andy Burnham took office earlier this year and has already vowed to rewrite the UK government’s long-standing approach to Gaza. In July, Burnham publicly acknowledged that the previous Labour administration’s stance on the conflict “caused huge hurt” to communities both in the region and within the UK.
The current crisis in Gaza has unfolded against a backdrop of broken ceasefire commitments. A US-brokered ceasefire agreement reached between Israel and Hamas in October 2025 mandated that Israel immediately and massively expand the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza, which has been under an Israeli air, land and sea blockade since 2007. Instead of complying with the terms of the truce, Israel has continued to carry out offensive military operations across the enclave.
A UN Human Rights Council-established Commission of Inquiry concluded in September 2025 that Israel’s military campaign in Gaza meets the legal definition of genocide. As of the latest official counts, the total Palestinian death toll from the ongoing conflict has reached at least 73,399, with an additional 174,310 people injured. Even after the ceasefire agreement was signed, violence has persisted: at least 1,265 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks across Gaza since the October 2025 truce went into effect.
This report was originally published by Middle East Eye, an outlet that provides independent, on-the-ground coverage of the Middle East and North Africa region.