Israel is facing renewed international criticism after the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) closed its investigation into the 2024 strike that killed seven World Central Kitchen aid workers in Gaza, concluding that there was insufficient suspicion of criminal misconduct to justify a criminal investigation.
The United Kingdom, Australia and Canada on Friday described the decision as “shameful,” arguing that the victims and their families still deserve justice and accountability.
In a joint statement, the three governments said they had spent more than two years urging Israel to fully investigate the April 1, 2024 attack and hold those responsible to account.
“The victims of this incident and their families deserve justice and accountability, and we will continue to seek answers on their behalf,” the governments said.
They also criticized the timing of the announcement, saying that releasing the decision on World Humanitarian Day was particularly inappropriate.
“This decision is both too little, and too late,” they said.
Poland summons Israeli ambassador
Poland has also intensified diplomatic pressure on Israel because one of its citizens, aid worker Damian Soból, was among those killed.
Poland’s Foreign Ministry summoned the Israeli ambassador and said it would not accept what it described as an evasion of legal and moral responsibility.
Warsaw stressed that prosecutors in Przemyśl continue to examine the case and called on Israel to provide all necessary explanations and materials requested by Polish investigators.
Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski also warned that the lack of accountability for what he described as the IDF’s excessive use of force was damaging public support for Israel, including in countries that have traditionally maintained close ties with it.
“Partnership requires mutual respect,” Sikorski said.
Seven aid workers killed
The World Central Kitchen convoy was struck by Israeli drones while the humanitarian team was delivering food to civilians in Gaza.
The April 1, 2024 attack killed seven aid workers: three Britons, an Australian, Damian Soból, a dual U.S.-Canadian citizen and a Palestinian.
The IDF acknowledged at the time that the strike was a serious mistake and failure and pledged to investigate the circumstances surrounding the attack.
However, the decision announced this week effectively closes the possibility of a criminal investigation by Israeli military authorities.
The IDF’s Military Advocate General’s Corps said that the investigation found “no reasonable suspicion of criminal misconduct” that would warrant opening a criminal case or taking further measures against those involved.
Accountability remains disputed
The decision has reopened a long-running debate over whether Israel’s internal military investigations provide sufficient accountability when civilians or humanitarian workers are killed during military operations.
The criticism from Israel’s allies is particularly significant because the World Central Kitchen workers were carrying out humanitarian work and the attack generated international condemnation when it occurred.
For the governments of the U.K., Australia and Canada, the closure of the case does not resolve the questions surrounding responsibility for the deaths.
Poland’s decision to continue its own investigation further underscores the growing international pressure on Israel to provide additional information and cooperate with foreign authorities.
The dispute also comes amid the broader humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where Israel’s military campaign has faced mounting international scrutiny over civilian casualties, humanitarian access and the conduct of military operations.
With several Western governments now openly criticizing the decision to close the probe, the case risks becoming another source of tension between Israel and some of its closest international partners.
