UK, Australia and Canada call Israel’s decision to end aid worker probe “shameful”
The three nations say Israel’s choice not to pursue a criminal investigation into the 2024 drone strike that killed seven World Central Kitchen staff is “too little, and too late.”
The United Kingdom, Australia and Canada have jointly criticised Israel for deciding not to pursue a criminal investigation into a deadly 2024 drone strike on a World Central Kitchen aid convoy in Gaza. In a statement released on Friday, the foreign ministries of the three countries described the decision as “shameful” and “too little, and too late,” urging Israel to comply with international humanitarian law.
The joint statement noted that the three nations had spent more than two years pressing Israel for accountability. “The victims of this incident and their families deserve justice and accountability, and we will continue to seek answers on their behalf,” the statement read. The decision was announced on 19 August, World Humanitarian Day, a timing the three governments described as “particularly egregious” while the world honoured the courage and sacrifice of humanitarians.
Seven World Central Kitchen aid workers were killed in the April 2024 strike in central Gaza. The victims included three Britons, a dual US-Canadian national, a Pole, an Australian and a Palestinian. The convoy had been overseeing a food aid shipment at the time of the attack, an incident that sparked global outrage and renewed calls to protect aid workers operating in the region.
Israel’s military labelled the strike a “tragic mistake” and announced on Wednesday that it would not launch an investigation. This decision followed a review of 150 incidents of Israeli troop conduct during the war in Gaza, which included the killing of five-year-old Hind Rajab. World Central Kitchen, the US-based charity founded by Jose Andres, called the decision “inconsistent with the truth” and demanded an independent investigation, arguing that the Israeli army cannot credibly investigate its own conduct.
Diplomatic reactions extended beyond the joint statement. Poland’s foreign ministry said on Friday that it was “very disappointed” in Israel’s decision and has summoned Israel’s ambassador in Warsaw. Australia also summoned Israel’s ambassador in Canberra on Thursday.
UK minister for the Middle East Stephen Doughty said his government “will continue to push for urgent answers.” The coordinated response highlights a growing institutional focus on governance and legal compliance, with Western allies framing the lack of a criminal probe as a failure of accountability mechanisms.
