Israel Closes Case on World Central Kitchen Strike That Killed Seven Aid Workers, UK, Australia, Canada Call Decision 'Shameful'

Israel's military announced on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, that it would not open criminal investigations into the April 2024 drone strike that killed seven World Central Kitchen aid workers in central Gaza. The date was World Humanitarian Day.

The dead were three Britons, a dual US-Canadian national, a Pole, an Australian, and a Palestinian, all members of a convoy that had just finished overseeing a food aid delivery when the strike hit. The Israeli military has called the strike a "tragic mistake." More than two years later, it says no soldier or commander will face criminal charges.

The decision came out of a review the Israeli military conducted into 150 incidents of troop conduct during the Gaza war, a batch that also included the killing of five-year-old Hind Rajab. Al Jazeera reports that review as the basis for Wednesday's announcement, though the Israeli military has not published the underlying findings.

World Central Kitchen rejected the outcome outright. In a statement Wednesday, the group called Israel's account "inconsistent with the truth" and renewed its demand for an outside investigation.

"Because the [Israeli army] cannot credibly investigate its own conduct."

On Friday, the foreign ministries of the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada issued a joint statement branding the decision "shameful." The three governments said they had spent more than two years pressing Israel to hold those responsible to account.

"This decision is both too little, and too late. The victims of this incident and their families deserve justice and accountability, and we will continue to seek answers on their behalf."

The joint statement singled out the timing as well, saying that announcing the closure on World Humanitarian Day, "while the world honoured the courage and sacrifice of humanitarians, was particularly egregious."

Poland's foreign ministry said separately it was "very disappointed" and confirmed it had summoned Israel's ambassador in Warsaw over the decision. Australia summoned Israel's ambassador in Canberra a day earlier, on Thursday. UK minister for the Middle East Stephen Doughty said his government "will continue to push for urgent answers."

What none of the four governments have is a mechanism to compel Israel to act. Summoning an ambassador registers protest; it does not open a case. Two years after the strike drew global outrage and prompted new calls to protect aid workers in Gaza, the file Israel has closed remains the only official record of what happened, and the governments of the dead have no way to reopen it.