‘Zomi’s death cannot be in vain’: Australia leads push to protect Gaza aid workers

Australia will lead a major international initiative to protect aid workers operating in war zones in a bid to prevent a repeat of the Israeli drone strike that killed Australian Zomi Frankcom in Gaza earlier this year.

In a move backed by Frankcom’s family, Foreign Minister Penny Wong will meet with ministerial counterparts on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York to rally support for a declaration setting out practical steps to protect workers who deliver humanitarian assistance in risky environments.

Zomi Frankcom, one of the aid workers killed in an airstrike in April, at a World Central Kitchen site in March.

Wong will also meet with United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, World Food Programme executive director Cindy McCain, star chef José Andrés and representatives from leading charities to discuss the pledge.

Andrés founded World Central Kitchen, the charity Frankcom was working for when the 43-year-old and six colleagues died in April when the vehicle they were travelling in was hit by an Israeli drone while delivering aid in Gaza.

Wong said the fact that 2024 was on track to be the deadliest year on record for aid workers “signifies that the rules and norms that protect humanitarian personnel are at risk, with consequences for current and future conflicts”.

“It also signifies that calls for compliance with international humanitarian law are not being heard,” she said.

Noting that Australians had been distressed by the deaths of Frankcom and her colleagues, Wong said: “We want to ensure that their tragic deaths are not in vain and do not continue.

“Now is the moment for the international community to rededicate itself to the protection of aid workers in conflict zones.”

Almost 200 aid workers have died so far this year, with the majority killed in Gaza, Sudan and South Sudan.

Frankcom’s family backed the initiative, saying in a statement: “People like Zomi are rare, and their bravery and selflessness should be not only celebrated but protected.

“They can’t be brave at any cost.”

The family said that Frankcom should have been able to expect that “the lives of humanitarian aid workers like her wouldn’t be carelessly disregarded”.

“We also wish for an immediate end to the blatant disregard for safety shown to aid workers and innocent civilians in the current conflict, but more so, a ceasefire and end to the current conflict,” the family said.

UNICEF Australia chief executive Tony Stuart welcomed the initiative, saying: “Humanitarian workers put their lives in danger and they deserve that we do everything we can to protect them.”

Australian Red Cross Executive Director of International Humanitarian Law Yvette Zegenhagen said: “We hope that this initiative will drive forward global dialogue and action that enhances the safety of aid workers, with the hope of ensuring they can operate as safely as possible in some of the world’s most dangerous areas.”

Former Australian Defence Force chief Mark Binskin found in a report released in July that “a significant breakdown in situational awareness” by the Israeli military caused the strike that killed Frankcom, adding he did not believe the charity workers were deliberately targeted.

Before leaving for New York, Wong announced the government would provide an extra $10 million in humanitarian aid for Gaza via UNICEF and the United Nations Population Fund, with a focus on the delivery of nutrition support, plus hygiene and dignity kits to women and girls.

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