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Australia says Israel did not deliberately eliminate foreign help employees in Gaza

Israeli air campaign that eliminated global help employees in Gaza in April were the result of serious operational failures however were not intentional, according to a Australian government evaluation of the event launched on Friday.

3 Israeli air campaign hit the convoy of help lorries travelling through Gaza on April 1, killing seven World Central Kitchen (WCK) staff. The dead included Palestinians and residents of Australia, Britain and Poland.

The killings drew widespread condemnation from Israel's. allies and accusations that Israel had actually intentionally targeted the. air employees, a claim it rejected.

An Australian review into the deaths said the Israel Defense. Force (IDF) chose to release missiles at the convoy after. erroneously believing it was being pirated by Hamas fighters,. who were in reality locally-contracted security personnel.

Based upon the info offered to me, it is my. assessment that the IDF strike on the WCK help employees was not. purposefully or deliberately directed against the WCK, according. to Air Chief Marshal Mark Binskin, who travelled to Israel to. examine the deaths.

Israel's investigation into the deaths had been timely,. appropriate and, with some exceptions, enough, he said.

In this incident, it appears that the IDF controls stopped working,. causing errors in choice making and a misidentification,. likely compounded by a level of verification predisposition.

The IDF has actually previously called the incident a severe mistake.

In a declaration accompanying the report, Foreign Minister. Penny Wong said Australia would promote full responsibility. from those accountable, including criminal charges if. appropriate.

The Military Supporter General of Israel is still to choose. on further action, she stated in a statement.

Our expectation stays that there be openness about. the Military Supporter General's process and decision..

(source: Reuters)