Western allies slam Israel for ending World Central Kitchen strike probe

What the report says

The United Kingdom, Australia and Canada have criticized Israel’s decision to stop short of a criminal investigation into the 2024 drone strike that killed seven World Central Kitchen aid workers in Gaza. In a joint statement, the three governments said they had spent more than two years urging accountability and described the move as unacceptable and too late. They also said Israel should comply with international humanitarian law and that the victims’ families deserve answers.

Al Jazeera reported that the workers were killed in April 2024 while traveling in a convoy after overseeing a food aid shipment in central Gaza. The dead included three Britons, a dual US-Canadian national, a Pole, an Australian and a Palestinian. The World Central Kitchen strike drew international condemnation at the time because aid organizations were operating amid severe humanitarian needs in Gaza.

Israel’s military previously described the killings as a tragic mistake, but on Wednesday it said it would not open investigations into the attack. The announcement followed a review of 150 incidents involving Israeli troop conduct during the Gaza war, according to the report. Australia also summoned Israel’s ambassador, and Poland said it was disappointed and did the same. World Central Kitchen said the decision was inconsistent with the facts and called for an independent inquiry.