In an open letter to the Labor Government, Col Jennings implores condemnation of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu for the murder of aid workers in Gaza.
DEAR PRIME MINISTER Anthony Albanese, Foreign Minister Penny Wong and MP Susan Templeman,
This morning I’ve collected some information from various sources including some United Nations news outlets and reports from some of our daily newspapers such as The Canberra Times.
As you are all aware, the situation in Palestine is causing many Australians to feel angry. The death of one of our young aid workers has highlighted the fact that the Israeli Prime Minister, Mr Benjamin Netanyahu, is engaging in a war that is defying international law and many of us feel he needs to be condemned for this.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has condemned the Israeli attack on aid workers from World Central Kitchen. He described the attack as ‘unconscionable’ and expressed deep concern over the loss of life.
According to a report on the United Nations Palestine website:
From the UN World Health Organization (WHO), spokesperson Dr Margaret Harris maintained that the NGO mission had been agreed with the Israeli authorities ahead of time and that the organisation’s car was “well marked, it was very clear: it was World Central Kitchen”.
“How many more lives will be lost until there is a ceasefire?” said UN health agency chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in a tweet. He said WHO was outraged by the killing of humanitarian workers and safety must be a basic requirement for all who do relief work.
The key UN agency providing relief to Palestinians, UNRWA, tweeted that it was devastated by the killing of seven humanitarians, pointing out that 176 of its own workers have been killed since the violence erupted on 7 October.
The report also said:
The killing of seven aid workers from the NGO World Central Kitchen in Israeli military airstrikes in central Gaza has been strongly condemned by senior UN humanitarian officials who on Tuesday reiterated repeated concerns that “there is no safe space left in Gaza”.
“This is not an isolated incident,” said Jamie McGoldrick, UN Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT). “As of 20 March, at least 196 humanitarians had been killed in the OPT since October 2023. This is nearly three times the death toll recorded in any single conflict in a year.”
Mr McGoldrick repeated appeals to “all parties to the conflict, including the Government of Israel” to respect international humanitarian law, which prohibits the targeting of humanitarian personnel.
The Canadian Foreign Minister has also strongly condemned the Israeli attack.
Our own Australian Council for International Development (ACFID) and seven Australian humanitarian aid organisations have also issued a joint statement condemning the rising aid worker death toll in Gaza. They highlight the critical role these workers play in addressing the food crisis faced by millions of Palestinians, especially in the North of Gaza. The World Central Kitchen staff killed in the attack were part of this vital effort.
Israel’s defence chief has acknowledged that the strike resulting in the deaths of seven aid workers was a “grave mistake”. However, the incident has sparked outrage and demands for accountability from the international community.
The situation remains deeply concerning and efforts to protect aid workers and civilians must continue.
It is clear the killing of seven aid workers is not an isolated incident. Australia has expressed its anger through you, Mr Prime Minister, but you have not condemned this violation of international law.
Admittedly, Ms Wong, you as Foreign Minister have said Israel has a “responsibility for observing international humanitarian law, including the protection of aid workers” and have warned Mr Netanyahu to “change course”, reiterating calls for an immediate ceasefire.
This tragic incident brings the total number of aid workers killed in Gaza to 196 — including more than 175 members of UN staff. The international community is calling for an urgent investigation into this devastating event.
“The role of aid workers is to alleviate the suffering of people in crisis. Their safety, along with that of the civilians they serve, must be guaranteed,” McGoldrick said.
The senior UN official's comments came after World Central Kitchen reported that an Israeli airstrike was responsible for the deaths of its aid workers in Deir Al-Balah. Following those reports and images of the non-governmental organisation (NGO) vehicle showing a large hole in its roof, UN emergency relief coordinator Martin Griffiths expressed his outrage at the attack and described the victims as ‘heroes, killed while trying to feed starving people’.
In a recent video statement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the killing of the aid workers by an Israeli strike was unintended and tragic. But on ABC TV last night, he excused the action by saying this is what happens in war. This was outrageous!
Earlier, World Central Kitchen released a statement saying its convoy had been hit ‘despite coordinating movements’ with the Israel military after the team had unloaded more than 100 tonnes of food aid at its Deir-al-Balah warehouse brought to Gaza along its newly devised maritime route.
Turning to the destruction of Al-Shifa Hospital following a two-week siege by the Israeli military, Dr Harris said that it had “ripped the heart out of healthcare” in the enclave.
As reported by Reliefweb:
In a stark assessment of the closure of 750-bed facility Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City, the World Health Organization (WHO) maintained that aid teams had been waiting for “days and days” for Israeli permission to reach the stricken facility, where staff and patients endured “horrific levels of violence”.
“We've had contact with the staff, the (hospital) directors told us that Al-Shifa has gone, it's no longer able to function in any way, shape or form” as a medical centre, said WHO spokesperson Dr Margaret Harris.
Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom will be remembered for her selfless and courageous work.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, you spoke with reporters on the morning of Wednesday 3 April, saying: “I expressed Australia's anger and concern at the death of Zomi Frankcom.” Yet, you did not condemn the actions of Mr Netanyahu.
I would like to remind you of what UN Secretary-General António Guterres said in condemning the Israeli attack on aid workers. He described the attack as ‘unconscionable’.
We need you, as Prime Minister of Australia, to understand you are dealing with a leader who will one day be tried as a war criminal and is only Prime Minister of Israel by default. If Australia does not distance itself from his actions, call for an immediate ceasefire and join the world community in condemning his persecution of the Palestinian people, you will lose the backing of the Australian people.
As Jamie McGoldrick has said above: “This is not an isolated incident.”
The war in Palestine has not only been responsible for a disproportionate number of deaths of aid workers, women, children and UN advisors, but other aid workers have already lost their lives. This action by Mr Netanyahu and his Government is unconscionable. Anthony, you need to say this!
Col Jennings is a writer.
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