Australia seeks ‘full accountability’ from Israel over aid worker's killing in Gaza

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) - Canberra on Tuesday sought “full accountability” from Israel over the killing of an Australian aid worker in the Gaza Strip.

Lalzawmi "Zomi" Frankcom was among the seven workers killed while working for the aid group World Central Kitchen.

The other aid workers were from Poland, the UK, and Palestine, and another was a dual citizen of the US and Canada.

Expressing “overwhelming sadness” and strong condemnation, Foreign Minister Penny Wong said Canberra has “made representations to the [Benjamin] Netanyahu government and seeks a thorough and expeditious review.”

“We expect full accountability for these deaths,” Wong said in a statement, adding that Frankcom's "tireless work to improve the lives of others should never have cost" her own life.

The top diplomat reiterated demand for an immediate humanitarian cease-fire leading to a sustainable cease-fire including the release of all hostages and upholding of international humanitarian law.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has also demanded accountability from Tel Aviv over the killing, saying: “This is a human tragedy that should never have occurred, that is completely unacceptable."