SYDNEY (Reuters) – Israel’s explanation for the deaths from an air strike in Gaza of seven aid workers, including Australian woman Zomi Frankcom, was “not good enough”, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Thursday.
Israel said on Tuesday it mistakenly killed workers of charity World Central Kitchen, drawing widespread condemnation from the United States and several allies. The dead included citizens of Australia, Britain and Poland as well as Palestinians and a dual citizen of the U.S. and Canada.
“We need to have accountability for how it has occurred, and what is not good enough is the statements that have been made, including that this is just a product of war,” Albanese said during a press conference in Sydney.
Albanese seemed to be referring to comments from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a video message on Tuesday in which he said that “this happens in war” as the Israeli military promised an independent investigation.
Celebrity chef Jose Andres, the founder of World Central Kitchen, told Reuters on Wednesday that the Israeli attack had targeted his workers “systematically, car by car.” He said the World Central Kitchen workers in Gaza had clear communication with the military, which knew their movements.
Albanese said Frankcom was travelling in a vehicle clearly identified as an aid vehicle and it should not have been at risk. He demanded full accountability on a call with Netanyahu on Wednesday.
“They have committed to a full and proper investigation. I want that to be transparent and I want those findings to be made public so that we find out how exactly this can occur,” he said.
(Reporting by Renju Jose in Sydney; Editing by Christian Schmollinger)
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