CANBERRA, Australia — In a significant diplomatic escalation, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has formally demanded criminal charges be brought against those responsible for the April 2024 Israeli airstrike that killed seven humanitarian workers in Gaza, including Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom.
The demand was delivered directly to Israeli President Isaac Herzog during his controversial visit to Australia this week. The meeting between the two leaders occurred amid heightened tensions and widespread protests against Herzog’s presence in the country.
The deadly incident on April 1, 2024, targeted a World Central Kitchen aid convoy, resulting in the deaths of seven personnel. Beyond the Australian victim, the strike killed an American-Canadian dual citizen, a Palestinian aid worker, a Polish national, and three British security staff members.
An Australian government inquiry concluded after four months of investigation that the strike resulted from “procedural failures and errors” within the Israeli military structure. Prime Minister Albanese characterized the incident as both a “tragedy and an outrage” during parliamentary remarks.
Herzog’s visit to Australia has sparked substantial controversy, with hundreds of protesters gathering outside Parliament House in Canberra waving Palestinian flags. Several lawmakers joined the demonstrations, with Greens party deputy leader Mehreen Faruqi declaring Herzog “not welcome in Australia” and accusing him of inciting genocide in Gaza.
The Israeli president described his visit as “very emotional,” particularly in light of the December Bondi Beach antisemitic attack that killed 15 people. Herzog emphasized the broader basis of Israeli-Australian relations beyond the Palestinian conflict, expressing hope for “new beginnings and a better future” between the nations.
Despite the tensions, mainstream Jewish groups in Australia welcomed Herzog’s visit. The Israeli president dined with Albanese at the prime minister’s official Sydney residence before traveling together to Canberra on an Australian air force jet.
Security measures were significantly heightened during the visit, with police in Sydney arresting 27 demonstrators and charging nine with mostly assault-related offenses. New South Wales Premier Chris Minns defended the police actions as necessary to prevent clashes between protesters and mourners of the Bondi massacre.