‘Beautiful sister’: Tributes flow for Australian aid worker killed in Israeli attack on Gaza
An Australian aid worker has been killed in an Israeli air strike while delivering food in Gaza, as friends paid tribute to their “beautiful sister”.
Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom was among five killed by Israeli air strike in Gaza. (Image: ABC).
The Israeli military said it was investigating after reports emerged four foreign aid workers had been killed in Gaza, including an Australian aid worker identified as Zomi Frankcom.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade was “urgently” investigating the incident.
The Australian’s social media pages say she worked for World Central Kitchen, a charity founded by chef Jose Andres, which delivers meals to people displaced during humanitarian emergencies.
World Central Kitchen board member Robert Egger wrote in a Facebook post: “Sending love, sorrow and solidarity to my brothers and sisters at World Central Kitchen.”
Photos posted on social media show the woman’s bloodied body with an Australian passport placed on her chest.
She has been described by loved ones on social media as a “dear friend” who had “risked her life many times to help those in dire need”.
“Rest in peace our beautiful sister… xox,” a friend wrote.
Mr Albanese said his government has supported a “sustainable ceasefire”.
“I’m very concerned about the loss of life that is occurring in Gaza,” he told ABC radio on Tuesday.
“We’ve called for the release of hostages and there have been far too many innocent lives, Palestinian and Israeli, lost during the Gaza-Hamas conflict.”
The other dead aid workers were placed alongside the Australian woman and were pictured with British and Polish passports.
The nationality of the fourth aid worker is not yet known.
In a statement, the Israel Defense Forces said it is conducting a “thorough review at the highest levels to understand the circumstances of this tragic incident”.
“The IDF makes extensive efforts to enable the safe delivery of humanitarian aid, and has been working closely with WCK (World Central Kitchen) in their vital efforts to provide food and humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza.”
Posting to X, formerly Twitter, World Central Kitchen responded to the news of the deaths.
“This is a tragedy,” they wrote.
“Humanitarian aid workers and civilians should NEVER be a target. EVER.”
