IN BRIEF
- Israel's military said there was "no reasonable suspicion of criminal misconduct".
- Penny Wong said the decision is "far short" of accountability she expected.
The Australian government has blasted the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) over its decision not to formally investigate whether crimes were committed by those responsible for killing Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom.
In one of her strongest statements as foreign minister, Penny Wong said "Australia is outraged" at the IDF's decision to close the investigation into the drone strike in Gaza that killed Zomi Frankcom and others working for World Central Kitchen.
She confirmed Israel's ambassador in Canberra, Hillel Newman, will be called in for an explanation as the government considers "next steps".
The decision was published on World Humanitarian Day, which Minister Wong said was "especially insulting" to Zomi Frankcom’s family and humanitarians across the globe.
She also revealed Israel only communicated to the government "moments" ahead of it being publicly announced.
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"Australia is outraged the Israeli government has decided not to pursue criminal proceedings against those responsible for killing Zomi Frankcom and her World Central Kitchen colleagues," Wong said.
"The Australian government learned of Israel’s decision late last night, moments before it was announced, on World Humanitarian Day — which is especially insulting to Zomi’s loved ones, humanitarians and all Australians."
IDF response 'far short' of accountability, Wong says
Israel's military has announced they have launched criminal investigations into two high-profile attacks on Palestinians during the war in Gaza, but not into a strike on a convoy that killed seven aid workers including Frankcom.
The IDF said there was "no reasonable suspicion of criminal misconduct that would justify the opening of a criminal investigation".
The minister said the response from the IDF was "far short" of accountability she expected.
"Zomi represented the best of Australia. Her courage deserves to be celebrated. Her family deserves justice," she said.
“This is despite Israel Defense Forces admissions that the IDF strikes on Zomi and her colleagues’ vehicles were the result of serious failures to follow IDF procedures, mistaken identification and errors in decision-making.
"This was confirmed by Special Adviser Air Chief Marshal Mark Binskin's report.
"Democracies seek and accept higher standards. The Australian government will not stop pressing Israel for justice for Zomi and her colleagues."
SBS News has sought comment from Israel's ambassador.
The Australian government and Frankcom's family have long demanded transparency and accountability from Israel over her death on 1 April 2024 when an airstrike hit a World Central Kitchen aid convoy in Khan Younis in southern Gaza.
The convoy was marked, but the Israeli military initially claimed it was being used by Hamas, before later acknowledging the misidentification and errors in the decision-making process.
Two Israeli officers were dismissed from their positions and three senior officers were formally reprimanded, according to the Israeli military.
Australia has requested audio of the drone strike footage on behalf of the family, and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese raised Frankcom's death with Israeli President Isaac Herzog during the leader's visit in February.
In a statement reacting to the IDF's decision, the World Central Kitchen said it was "inconsistent with the full truth and deeply offensive".
"We fundamentally disagree with their decision about criminal investigations into the IDF airstrikes that killed our team," the organisation said in a statement.
"There has never been any excuse or justification for the attacks, and there is nothing in this account that does so."
Probes into two other incidents
Israel's military said on Wednesday it was going ahead with probes into the killings of five-year-old Hind Rajab and her family in February 2024, and of 15 Palestinian paramedics in May 2025, which both prompted global condemnation.
Both the killing of Rajab in February 2024 and the killing of 15 Palestinian medics in May 2025 gained international attention.
Rajab was killed alongside her relatives while trying to flee Gaza City amid an Israeli offensive.
Israeli troops opened fire on a vehicle carrying Hind, who was pinned down in a car for hours, begging Palestinian medics over a mobile phone to send help, while her aunt, uncle and three cousins already lay dead.
When an ambulance finally arrived, contact with the girl and the rescuers themselves was lost.
Twelve days later, the bodies of the girl, her relatives and two ambulance workers were recovered from the area.
The 15 paramedics were killed when Israeli troops opened fire on their vehicles in the southern city of Rafah, then buried them in a mass grave.
The Israeli military initially said it opened fire because the vehicles were "advancing suspiciously" on nearby troops without headlights or emergency signals.
But it backtracked from that account after the footage emerged, showing the Red Crescent and Civil Defence teams driving slowly with their emergency vehicle lights flashing and logos visible.
— With additional reporting by the Australian Associated Press.
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