Israel has determined that its military did not commit a criminal offense in the incident where a Canadian and six other aid workers were killed in Gaza two years ago. The military prosecutor of Israel announced the decision not to pursue a criminal investigation into the April 2024 airstrikes in Gaza that targeted a convoy of World Central Kitchen vehicles. The airstrikes resulted in the deaths of Jacob Flickinger, a military veteran from Quebec, a Palestinian, and aid workers from the United Kingdom, Australia, and the United States.
The decision was met with disapproval from Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand, who described it as “unacceptable.” Anand highlighted significant shortcomings in the conduct of the strike and emphasized the importance of accountability for the families seeking answers for over two years. She stressed the need to protect humanitarian workers in conflict zones and reaffirmed Canada’s commitment to upholding international humanitarian law and seeking justice for the deceased workers and their families.
World Central Kitchen, the organization responsible for distributing food in Gaza, stated that they had coordinated with the military regarding the convoy’s movements. The vehicles, marked with the organization’s logo, were severely damaged in the airstrikes.
The military’s statement on Wednesday indicated that the individuals in the vehicles were mistakenly identified as armed Hamas operatives, leading to the fatal decision. Despite this, the military concluded that the commanders’ actions did not suggest criminal wrongdoing, with two officers removed from their positions and three others reprimanded. World Central Kitchen disputed the military’s account, calling for an independent investigation.
The decision sparked outrage in Australia, where the Foreign Minister summoned the Israeli ambassador. Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong criticized the lack of sufficient accountability for the death of Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom. Wong expressed disappointment over the Israeli Defense Forces’ failures and errors in decision-making, especially since the decision was announced on World Humanitarian Day.
After the deaths of the aid workers, then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called for an independent investigation beyond the Israeli military. Trudeau emphasized the need for transparency and accountability in such incidents, rejecting the notion that collateral deaths are acceptable in conflict situations. Meanwhile, Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East raised concerns about Prime Minister Mark Carney’s silence on the findings, suggesting it could allow Israel to evade accountability for the Canadian aid worker’s death.
The Israeli military also announced its decision not to pursue criminal action over the killings of four Doctors Without Borders staffers in separate incidents in November 2023 and February 2024.
