By D. Maan, Jadetimes News
Australian Review Blames IDF for Deadly Drone Strikes on Aid Workers in Gaza
The Australian government review has found that "serious failures" by the Israeli military led to drone attacks on an aid convoy, killing seven workers in Gaza. The April 1 strike killed charity workers of WCK, nationals from Australia, Canada, Poland, UK, US, and their Palestinian colleague.
Released on Friday, the review found that the Israel Defense Forces did not follow procedure and made critical errors in identification and with decision-making. The foreign minister, Penny Wong, said the Australian government would seek "full accountability" for those responsible, including possible criminal charges. The Israeli military advocate general has yet to decide whether further action will be taken.
Under heavy international pressure, the IDF conducted an investigation into the strike and later relieved high-ranking officers of their posts, acknowledging it as a "serious failure" and a "grave mistake." The charity workers had received permission from the Israeli military to transfer their relief supplies from the coast to a warehouse. However, the convoy became mistakenly targeted in the Gazan city of Deir al-Balah due to drone operators breaking the rules by incorrectly believing WCK vehicles were transporting Hamas gunmen.
WCK founder José Andrés said Israeli forces were methodically targeting his aid workers "car by car." Though WCK called the IDF's admission of failure an important step forward, they called for an independent investigation into the deadly attack. "It is palpable from their first probe that the IDF has indulged in deadly force with utter disregard to its own protocols, chain of command, and rules of engagement," WCK opined in April. They wanted an independent commission on the killing spree, in which it was asserted that the IDF could not genuinely investigate its own failure in the Gaza region.
After the attack, the Australian government announced that it had appointed former defence force chief Mark Binskin as a special advisor to review the deaths of the WCK workers. Minister Wong said that Mr. Binskin would examine the "sufficiency and appropriateness of the steps taken by the Israeli government" in response to the incident.
Following the report's publication, Wong announced that the Australian government would accept all of Binskin's recommendations, including demands that Israel do more to coordinate its actions with humanitarian groups in Gaza. The IDF had also issued official rebukes to three officers for their overall role in the attacks and warned that concrete offenders could be criminally prosecuted.
He said accountability for Israel was yet to be determined, and called for transparency in the process and decision of the military advocate general. According to the United Nations, more than 250 aid workers were killed in Gaza since October 7, 2023.
