Australian inquiry blames Israeli military failings for attack on aid convoy

The Israeli military’s attack on an aid convoy in Gaza in April that killed seven people was the result of serious failures of defence procedures, mistaken identification and errors in decision-making, according to an Australian investigation that was made public on Friday.

Australia initiated the investigation to examine Tel Aviv’s response to the widely condemned Israeli Defence Forces’ drone strikes on three World Central Kitchen vehicles on April 1. Australian Zomi Frankcom, three of her aid worker colleagues and three British personal security staff died in the attack.

Former Australian Defence Force chief Mark Binskin was appointed the government’s special adviser on the matter and visited Israel in May.

He also engaged with World Central Kitchen and Solace Global, the company that provided the convoy’s security team.

Mr Binskin blamed the fatal strikes on “serious failures to follow IDF procedures, mistaken identification and errors in decision-making,” a statement said.

The armed security guards were likely mistaken for Hamas operatives, Mr Binskin said. This was the primary factor behind a “significant breakdown in situational awareness”.

He found the strikes were not deliberately directed against World Central Kitchen.

But Mr Binskin wrote: “It is important to all the families that an appropriate apology be provided to them by the government of Israel.”

Foreign Minister Penny Wong said she had told Israel that the families deserved an apology.

While Mr Binskin’s report outlined steps Israel had taken to avoid a repeat tragedy, “stronger protocols” were needed to protect aid workers in Gaza, Ms Wong said.

“Gaza remains the deadliest place on earth to be an aid worker. This was not a one-off incident,” she told reporters.

“The UN reports that more than 250 aid workers have been killed since the start of this conflict and in recent weeks, a number of UN vehicles have come under attack. This is not acceptable,” Wong added.

Mr Binskin said his conclusions were “fairly consistent” with an Israeli military investigation in April that led to two officers being dismissed and three being reprimanded within a week of the bungled attack.

Military Advocate General Brigadier General Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi, Israel’s top military lawyer, is considering further potential action against those responsible.

Ms Wong said the Frankcom family felt that disciplinary action to date had been insufficient.

“The Australian government will continue to press for full accountability, including any appropriate criminal charges, and we will continue to advocate the views of the Frankcom family and the Australian government to Israel,” Ms Wong said.

A family representative issued a statement on Friday welcoming Mr Binskin’s report as an “important first step”.

“We hope it will be followed by further investigations in Israel regarding those responsible for this tragic event, followed by appropriate action,” the family statement said.

Mr Binskin said the Israeli Defence Forces had been “very forthcoming” toward his investigation.

However, the level of detail the Israelis provided on specific operational improvements they had made since the convoy blunder made it difficult for him to assess how effective the changes were.

The other World Central Kitchen staff killed were American-Canadian dual national Jacob Flickinger, Palestinian Saifeddin Issam Ayad Abutaha and Polish citizen Damian Sobol. On the British security team were John Chapman, James Kirby and Jim Henderson.