Statement – World Central Kitchen, 2 April 2024
7 WCK team members killed in Gaza
The WCK team was traveling in a deconflicted zone in two armored cars branded with the WCK logo and a soft skin vehicle.
Despite coordinating movements with the IDF, the convoy was hit as it was leaving the Deir al-Balah warehouse, where the team had unloaded more than 100 tons of humanitarian food aid brought to Gaza on the maritime route.
“This is not only an attack against WCK, this is an attack on humanitarian organizations showing up in the most dire of situations where food is being used as a weapon of war. This is unforgivable,” said World Central Kitchen CEO Erin Gore.
The seven killed are from Australia, Poland, United Kingdom, a dual citizen of the U.S. and Canada, and Palestine.
“I am heartbroken and appalled that we—World Central Kitchen and the world—lost beautiful lives today because of a targeted attack by the IDF. The love they had for feeding people, the determination they embodied to show that humanity rises above all, and the impact they made in countless lives will forever be remembered and cherished,” said Erin.
The IDF says it is “carrying out an in-depth examination at the highest levels to understand the circumstances of this tragic incident.”
World Central Kitchen is pausing our operations immediately in the region. We will be making decisions about the future of our work soon.
Media release – Jewish Council of Australia, 2 April 2024
Australia must cut all military ties and place sanctions on Israel
The Jewish Council of Australia calls on state and federal governments in Australia to immediately cut all military ties and place sanctions on Israel amid the escalating violence in Gaza. On 28 March, the International Court of Justice ordered additional provisional measures in the case brought by South Africa against Israel for violating the Genocide Convention. Three days earlier, the UN Security Council voted for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
In light of these developments, and the worsening conditions imposed on Palestinians in Gaza, in particular the spread of starvation due to Israel’s blockade of aid, we urge the Australian Government to do everything in its power to stop Israel committing the crime of genocide. The Australian Government should be using all available forms of diplomatic pressure, including sanctions and travel bans on extremist settlers and those suspected of war crimes . Today’s tragic news that an Australian aid worker has been killed by an Israeli air strike deepens the need for a stronger response from our government.
The ICJ has ordered Israel to “[t]ake all necessary and effective measures to ensure, without delay” the “unhindered provision at scale” of basic services and humanitarian aid—including food, water, electricity, fuel, shelter, clothing, hygiene and sanitation products, and medical supplies and care to the people of Gaza.
This order has legal implications for Australia, which must comply with its obligations under the Genocide Convention by taking all reasonable measures to ensure Israel allows aid into Gaza and to achieve an immediate ceasefire.
Sarah Schwartz, human rights lawyer and Executive Officer of the Jewish Council of Australia
The ICJ’s additional provisional orders are a clear sign that the situation in Gaza has drastically deteriorated. Palestinians face death by Israeli assassinations, bombardment, and now, forced famine. The images emerging today of Israel’s total destruction of Gaza’s Al-Shifa Hospital, together with the news that Israel has killed an Australian aid worker, ought to force governments like ours to take concrete action. The world cannot stand idly by in the face of such horrific cruelty.
Australia must heed the additional provisional measures ordered by the ICJ and do everything in its power to prevent Israel committing the international crime of genocide by killing, mass starvation and disease, including imposing sanctions and cutting military ties. In particular, Australia must end its role in supplying weapons parts to Israel, and throw its weight behind a global arms embargo.
Dr Max Kaiser, historian and Executive Officer of the Jewish Council of Australia
With each passing day, it becomes clearer that Israel is a rogue state. We say this as part of a large and growing number of Jews – in Australia and around the world – who have been calling for a ceasefire for many months, and saying that Israel’s actions are completely incompatible with our Jewish values. Opposing this genocide is an expression of our Jewishness and an honouring of our ancestors who were themselves the victims of genocide and racist violence.
It is clear that Israel will not listen to the international community until there are consequences for its actions. The Australian Government has all the tools necessary at its disposal, including sanctions and travel bans on suspected war criminals, which it has deployed against Russia. All that is missing is the political will.
Excerpt from transcript – Anthony Albanese, Prime Minister of Australia, 2 April 2024
Doorstop interview – Redbank
JOURNALIST: (Inaudible).
PRIME MINISTER: Well, the Department of Foreign Affairs has made very urgent inquiries and are continuing to ask for details about what has occurred here. Zomi Frankcom was an Australian aid worker working for the World Central Kitchen. She was doing extraordinarily valuable work, as she is someone who, I have been in recent times, been given some of what her background is – she’s someone who volunteered in Australia to help people during the bushfires. This is someone who was volunteering overseas to provide aid through this charity, for people who are suffering tremendous deprivation in Gaza. And this is just completely unacceptable. Australia expects full accountability for the deaths of aid workers – which is completely unacceptable. Aid workers and those doing humanitarian work, and indeed all innocent civilians, need to be provided with protection. Australia has had a very clear position of supporting a sustainable ceasefire, of calling for it for some period of time, of calling for humanitarian aid to go to the people of Gaza, who are suffering from this deprivation, to make sure that hostages are released as well. Australians want to see an end to this conflict. Australians want to see a peaceful, long-term political solution – that means justice for Palestinians in a Palestinian state, as well as the right of Israel to exist within secure borders. That is what we need to see. But this news today is tragic. DFAT have also requested a call in from the Israeli Ambassador to Australia as well. We want full accountability for this, because this is a tragedy that should never have occurred.
JOURNALIST: Do you plan to contact the Israeli Government directly?
PRIME MINISTER: We certainly have already contacted the Israeli Government directly. We are contacting the Israeli Ambassador to ask for accountability here. The truth is that this is beyond any reasonable circumstances – that someone going about providing aid and humanitarian assistance should lose their life. And there were four aid workers, as well as Palestinian driver in this vehicle. This is a human tragedy that should never have occurred. That is completely unacceptable. And Australia will seek full and proper accountability, as you would expect, for how this could have occurred.
JOURNALIST: Do you intend to, or have you, contacted the aid worker’s family?
PRIME MINISTER: With respect, news is just coming through of that. So, of course, the Australian Government always, always will reach out to the family and friends. And my sincere condolences to all who knew Zomi Frankcom. I didn’t have the honour of knowing her, but the sort of values that are shown by someone going into a very dangerous place in order to assist mankind, their fellow humans, people who she didn’t know, she just wanted to help out through this charity. It says everything about the character of this young woman.
And so this is a tragedy. And my sincere condolences and that of the Australian Government go to Zomi’s family, to her friends, and all who knew her, to all who are working in charity, including through the World Central Kitchen. But Australians, wherever there are difficulties in the world, you will find Australians helping out. It’s something about our character that comes to the fore during the most difficult of times, that we see the best of the Australian character.
