Israel has determined that its military did not engage in criminal behavior when it carried out an airstrike in Gaza that resulted in the deaths of a Canadian citizen and six other aid workers two years ago. The announcement has sparked outrage in Australia, prompting the foreign minister to summon the Israeli ambassador. However, Canada has not yet responded to the report released on Wednesday.
The Israeli military prosecutor stated that no criminal investigation would be pursued regarding the April 2024 airstrikes in Gaza that targeted a convoy of World Central Kitchen vehicles. Among those killed were Jacob Flickinger, a military veteran from Quebec, as well as aid workers from the United Kingdom, Australia, and the United States.
The aid organization, which provides food assistance in Gaza, claimed it had coordinated with the military regarding the convoy’s movements. Despite the vehicles displaying the group’s logo prominently, they were destroyed in the airstrikes.
According to the military’s statement on Wednesday, individuals in the vehicles were mistakenly identified as armed Hamas operatives. While two officers were removed from their positions and three others were reprimanded, the commanders’ decisions were deemed not to warrant suspicion of criminal misconduct.
In response to the military’s account of the incident, World Central Kitchen disputed the narrative, calling for an independent investigation to be conducted.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong criticized the Israeli military’s handling of the situation, stating that the removal and reprimand of officers were not adequate measures of accountability for the death of Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom. She expressed disappointment in the timing of the decision, which coincided with World Humanitarian Day.
Following the deaths of the aid workers, former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau urged for a thorough and independent investigation into the incident beyond the Israeli military’s internal review. Trudeau also condemned the notion that collateral deaths are acceptable in war, emphasizing the need for accountability in such circumstances.
The Israeli military also announced its decision not to pursue criminal action in the cases of four Doctors Without Borders staffers who were killed in separate incidents in 2023 and 2024.
Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East raised concerns over the silence of Prime Minister Mark Carney regarding the findings, suggesting that it could allow Israel to evade accountability for the death of a Canadian aid worker.
