Skip to content
CharitiesAidWelfare, Foreign Affairs Trade

Killing of Australian aid worker in Gaza tragic and preventable

Australian Council for International Development 2 mins read

The Australian Council for International Development, the peak body for the aid and humanitarian agencies, has today expressed its deepest condolences to the family of killed Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom. 

Ms Frankcom was killed, along with four of her fellow aid workers, by an Israeli air strike in Gaza. She was working with the World Central Kitchen helping deliver food and other supplies to northern Gaza.

“It is truly tragic that an Australian aid worker, working to provide food to starving civilians, has been killed in this fashion,” said ACFID chief executive Marc Purcell. 

“Our deepest and sincerest condolences go out to Zomi’s family, friends and employer. She died doing truly heroic work. 

“The Australian government seeks to uphold the international rule of law. The laws of war protecting humanitarian workers and civilians are being flagrantly disregarded by the Israeli Government and Defence Forces. 

“Humanitarian workers in conflict zones should be ensured safety by combatants to carry out life saving responses. Time and time again during this conflict we have seen Israeli forces demonstrate disregard for the safety of humanitarian workers with tragic results, with at least 196 aid workers killed to date. 

“Not only are Israeli military forces acting recklessly, they have, in fact, been using the denial of food as a weapon of war. 

“We call on the Australian Government to urge the Israeli Government to cease attacks on aid convoys  and to allow for the safe land passage of humanitarian assistance. Further, Australia should protest in the strongest possible terms the starvation of civilians. Starving civilians is a breach of the laws of war, international law and common decency.

“The Israeli Defence Force is blocking aid from entry into northern Gaza which means hundreds of thousands of people are at risk of starving to death. In the south, humanitarian agencies are under enormous strain as a result of airstrikes.”


Contact details:

Anil Lambert 0416 426 722

More from this category

  • CharitiesAidWelfare, Entertainment
  • 26/07/2024
  • 13:37
AAGilesberg Production | Get Free Movie

Join Us on International Anti-Human Trafficking Day for the “Get Free” Screening and Q&A on July 30

Penrith, July 30 at 7:15pm – This International Anti-Human Trafficking Day, join us for a poignant evening of cinema and advocacy at the screening…

  • Contains:
  • CharitiesAidWelfare
  • 26/07/2024
  • 10:16
Oxfam Australia

Oxfam reaction to the Rio de Janeiro G20 Ministerial Declaration on International Tax Cooperation: “this is serious global progress”

Responding to the Rio de Janeiro G20 Ministerial Declaration on International Tax Cooperation published today, Oxfam International’s Tax Policy Lead Susana Ruiz, said: "This is serious global progress —for the first time in history, the world’s largest economies have agreed to cooperate to tax the ultra-rich. Finally, the richest people are being told they can't game the tax system or avoid paying their fair share. "Governments have for too long been complicit in helping the ultra-rich pay little or zero tax. Massive fortunes afford the world’s ultra-rich outsized influence and power, which they wield to shield, stash and supersize their wealth,…

  • Contains:
  • CharitiesAidWelfare, International News
  • 25/07/2024
  • 15:58
ActionAid Australia

ActionAid Australia welcomes Minister Wong’s announcement today of new Australian sanctions on Israeli settlers in the West Bank.

Quotes Attributable to ActionAid Australia Executive Director Michelle Higelin: “We are encouraged to see the Government promptly taking action following the announcement of the International Court of Justice’s historic opinion on the weekend," said Ms Higelin. "The Court has made it clear that Israel must end its occupation of Palestine “as rapidly as possible”, and that all countries carry obligations to ensure this ruling is upheld. “The only way to achieve sustainable peace is for Israel to end this occupation and enable Palestinians to return to their land. “As Minister Wong has noted, Israel’s longstanding occupation of Palestine has not…

Media Outreach made fast, easy, simple.

Feature your press release on Medianet's News Hub every time you distribute with Medianet. Pay per release or save with a subscription.