'Shameful': UK, Australia and Canada condemn Israel over Gaza aid convoy killings

Britain, Australia and Canada have condemned as ‘shameful’ the decision by Israeli military authorities not to open a criminal investigation into the April 2024 airstrikes that killed seven humanitarian workers from World Central Kitchen (WCK) in Gaza. The victims included aid workers from all three countries. The attack sparked international outrage and renewed calls for accountability over the safety of humanitarian personnel operating in Gaza.

“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 World Central Kitchen attack is one of countless incidents in Gaza where there has been no accountability,” the three countries said in a joint statement. They added, “In Gaza, humanitarian workers continue to work tirelessly to support civilians in desperate need, risking their lives whilst working in the most perilous conditions. Yet despite the fragile ceasefire, Gaza remains the deadliest place to deliver aid, with 186 humanitarian workers killed in 2025.”

Australia’s government expressed 'outrage' on Thursday over the Israeli military’s decision. Relatives of Australian WCK worker Zomi Frankcom also criticised what they described as an ‘internal, opaque process that ends with a short statement by the Israeli military absolving their soldiers of criminal wrongdoing’. Israel’s ambassador to Australia, Hillel Newman, defended the decision.

Poland also expressed disappointment over the outcome. The Polish government said it was ‘very disappointed’ and urged Israeli authorities to cooperate with Polish investigations into the incident. Damian Sobol, a Polish volunteer from Przemysl, was among those killed.

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In Britain, the Foreign Office said it was ‘appalled and angry’ on behalf of the families of John Chapman, James Henderson and James Kirby, the three British nationals who died in the strike. WCK said after the attack that it had coordinated with the Israeli military regarding the movement of its vehicles. The cars were clearly marked with the organisation’s logo, which was visible from the air. “There has never been any excuse or justification for the attacks, and there is nothing in this account that does so. The decision is inconsistent with the full truth and deeply offensive,” WCK said.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on Wednesday that its troops had mistakenly identified several people in the vehicles as armed Hamas operatives. It also claimed that the WCK convoy had deviated from a previously coordinated route. However, the military concluded that “the decisions of the commanders did not raise reasonable suspicion of criminal misconduct”. Two officers were removed from their positions following the incident, while three others were reprimanded.

One of the dismissed officers had reportedly signed an open letter earlier in 2024 calling for Gaza to be deprived of aid. During the conflict, Israel imposed strict restrictions on humanitarian assistance entering Gaza, where experts declared a famine in August 2025. The latest controversy comes as the IDF has acknowledged other incidents involving the deaths of civilians and aid workers. On Wednesday, the Israeli military admitted that its troops had opened fire on a vehicle carrying five-year-old Hind Rajab and six members of her family in Gaza in January 2024. The IDF said it had ordered a criminal investigation into the deaths, as well as into the fatal shooting of 15 paramedics in 2025.

Hind Rajab died after making a desperate three-hour phone call to the Palestinian Red Crescent on 29 January 2024, pleading for rescue. Her family’s Kia Picanto came under fire as they attempted to flee a new Israeli offensive in Gaza City. All the other passengers were also killed. The IDF had repeatedly denied that its forces were operating near the location at the time. However, investigations by media organisations and other groups found evidence suggesting that Israeli tanks were nearby and may have been responsible.

The Israeli military said it reviews “exceptional incidents that occurred during combat” as part of its obligations under international and Israeli domestic law. Experts, however, have said that criminal investigations involving Israeli troops over the deaths of Palestinians rarely result in convictions.