Israel's ambassador to Australia has refused to apologise for the death of Australian aid worker Lalzawmi 'Zomi' Frankcom, blaming "unintentional" Israel Defense Forces (IDF) strikes as he was pressed to release critical audio from the incident.
On the eve of the second anniversary, the family is still searching for answers after Frankcom was killed in an Israeli drone strike while working for the World Central Kitchen aid organisation in April 2024.
Seven aid workers, including Frankcom, were killed in Gaza when their three-car convoy was targeted by Israeli drones.
The group had been helping feed hungry Palestinians in central Gaza. Israel at the time said it was a "tragic incident" before apologising and blaming "misidentification".
Addressing the National Press Club for the first time, ambassador Hillel Newman was repeatedly asked whether the Israeli government would apologise to the Frankcom family.
"Even though it was unintentional, it is regarded as a tragedy on the part of Israel. And we do sympathise with the family," he responded.
After he was asked a third time at the address for an apology, he said, "sympathy had been expressed".
Hillel claimed that reparations were "dependent on the final outcome of the interrogation".
The questions came an hour after independent MP Zali Steggall called the lack of apology "inexcusable".
"That is the minimum that the family can expect. I ask the new ambassador to reach out to the family," she told reporters in Canberra, standing next to Frankcom's brother Mal.
Albanese to meet with Frankcom family, as ambassador pressed on audio
Mal is set to meet with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Tuesday afternoon, urging justice for his sister, including pressing the IDF to release audio that would establish the motive at the time of the strike.
"The audio is crucial to be able to establish motive, when the decision to strike repeatedly, three times, the convoy, was made by those in the position of power," Steggall said.
Steggall and the family claim that the initial Israeli inquiry took 72 hours and did not involve the provision of the audio.
In 2024, Australia ordered an independent inquiry into the circumstances of her death, headed by retired Air Chief Marshal Mark Binskin.
According to the report, Binskin was also given access to view 90 minutes of unedited drone footage, including the World Central Kitchen strike and other strikes, but that did not include an audio track. Mal claims that any audio provided was in Hebrew.
The report detailed the drone footage showed the operator tracking the convoy before the strike, and during the transit period, when the strike took place and afterwards.
Hellal referred to the "unprecedented access" given and Binskin's signature against a conclusion that the IDF did not deliberately direct the strike when responding to questions about the audio.
"That is the big issue, whether it's intentional or not, he signed his own signature to the fact that it was not intentional," he said.
He repeatedly said Binskin was "given full access" but ultimately conceded that he would "have to check" why "it's not possible to release that information", referring to the audio.
The incident was taken up for investigation by Israel's Military Advocate General office, which implements military law. But delays have been exacerbated by the arrest of the office's top lawyer last year.
Albanese said he looked forward to a "respectful conversation" ahead of Tuesday's meeting with Mal, telling the lower house he would continue to press the Israeli government for "transparency and appropriate action".
For the latest from SBS News, download our app and subscribe to our newsletter.
