The Australian Council for International Development, the peak body for the aid and humanitarian agencies, has today expressed its deepest condolences to the family of killed Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom.

Ms Frankcom was killed, along with six of her fellow aid workers, by an Israeli air strike in Gaza. She was working with the World Central Kitchen helping deliver food and other supplies to northern Gaza.

“It is truly tragic that an Australian aid worker, working to provide food to starving civilians, has been killed in this fashion,” said ACFID chief executive Marc Purcell.

“Our deepest and sincerest condolences go out to Zomi’s family, friends and employer. She died doing truly heroic work.

“The Australian government seeks to uphold the international rule of law. The laws of war protecting humanitarian workers and civilians are being flagrantly disregarded by the Israeli Government and Defence Forces.

“Humanitarian workers in conflict zones should be ensured safety by combatants to carry out life saving responses. Time and time again during this conflict we have seen Israeli forces demonstrate disregard for the safety of humanitarian workers with tragic results, with at least 196 aid workers killed to date.

“Not only are Israeli military forces acting recklessly, they have, in fact, been using the denial of food as a weapon of war.

“We call on the Australian Government to urge the Israeli Government to cease attacks on aid convoys  and to allow for the safe land passage of humanitarian assistance. Further, Australia should protest in the strongest possible terms the starvation of civilians. Starving civilians is a breach of the laws of war, international law and common decency.

“The Israeli Defence Force is blocking aid from entry into northern Gaza which means hundreds of thousands of people are at risk of starving to death. In the south, humanitarian agencies are under enormous strain as a result of airstrikes.”

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