AUSTRALIA, POLAND CONFIRM DEATHS
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed the death of Australian aid worker Lalzawmi “Zomi” Frankcom and said his government had contacted Israel to demand those responsible be held accountable.
“This is a human tragedy that should never have occurred, that is completely unacceptable and Australia will seek full and proper accountability,” he said at a news conference on Tuesday.
Albanese said innocent civilians and those doing humanitarian work needed to be protected and reiterated his call for a sustainable ceasefire in Gaza along with more aid to help those suffering from “tremendous deprivation”.
“Poland does not agree to the lack of compliance with international humanitarian law and of the protection of civilians, including humanitarian workers,” the Polish foreign ministry said.
Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski also said he had asked the Israeli ambassador to Poland for “urgent explanations” after the strike killed one of its citizens, who was not named.
“I personally asked the Israeli ambassador Yacov Livne for urgent explanations,” he said on social media, adding that he had offered “condolences to the family of our brave volunteer”.
Sikorski added Poland would open its own inquiry into the aid worker’s death.
Video obtained by Reuters showed paramedics moving bodies into a hospital and displaying the passports of three of those killed.
“We are heartbroken and deeply troubled by the strike that killed @WCKitchen aid workers in Gaza,” US National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said on social media.
“Humanitarian aid workers must be protected as they deliver aid that is desperately needed, and we urge Israel to swiftly investigate what happened.”
