UK, Canada, Australia Demand Criminal Probe into Gaza Aid Convoy Killings
The United Kingdom, Canada and Australia issued a joint statement Wednesday condemning Israel’s refusal to launch a criminal investigation into the 1 April 2024 strike that killed seven World Central Kitchen (WCK) humanitarian workers in Gaza. The allies called the decision “shameful” and said the victims’ families deserved justice and accountability.
The seven deceased included three British nationals, a Pole, an Australian, a Canadian and a dual‑citizen of the US and Canada. The statement urged Israeli authorities to “swiftly and thoroughly consider the case and hold those responsible to account”, noting the strike occurred on World Humanitarian Day.
Israel’s ambassador to Australia, Hillel Newman, defended the Army’s decision, stating that there was “no criminal intention” and therefore no criminal responsibility. An Israel Defence Forces (IDF) briefing added that an armed guard accompanying the convoy had not been identified beforehand, and the convoy reportedly deviated from the route coordinated with the military. The IDF described the attack as a catastrophic error, adding that the commanders’ decisions did not rise to criminal misconduct.
In the same statement, the IDF announced it would conduct a criminal investigation into the killing of five‑year‑old Palestinian girl Hind Rajab and six her relatives, as well as the death of 15 Palestinians, including medics and a UN worker, in March 2025. The investigations were framed as separate from the WCK convoy inquiry.
The joint condemnation also referenced ongoing settlement activity in the occupied West Bank. The UK’s foreign secretary expressed outrage over Israel’s plans to open tenders for around 1,200 settlement homes in the east‑Jerusalem En‑E1 area, calling the move “unacceptable and destructive.” Israel’s foreign minister retorted, emphasising the rights of Jews to live throughout Israel, a point that sparked worldwide debate on the legality of settlements under international law.
The conflict continues to raise international law concerns, with the UK, Canada and Australia urging Israel to upgrade its security and accountability mechanisms to protect humanitarian staff. The WCK statement demanded an independent commission to investigate the convoy killings, underscoring worldwide calls for transparency in the ongoing Gaza war.
