An Australian government report released on Friday revealed that the April 1 attack in Gaza, which killed seven humanitarian workers, resulted from “serious failings” by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), according to international news outlets.
The investigation, led by former Australian Defence Force Chief Marshal Mark Binskin, was prompted by the death of an Australian national in three strikes that also claimed the lives of three Britons, an American-Canadian, a Polish and a Palestinian.
The victims were members of the American NGO World Central Kitchen (WCK) which provides food to areas ravaged by humanitarian crises, natural disasters, and conflict, founded by renowned chef José Andrés.
The report describes the incident as a “grave mistake,” citing a “significant breakdown in situational awareness” within the IDF, exacerbated by the unexpected presence of armed local security associated with WCK.
It further noted that the attack was “not knowingly or deliberately directed” at WCK, emphasizing that the Israeli military’s internal review identified critical errors due to faulty identification, decision-making mistakes, and breaches of engagement rules and standard operating procedures.
According to the document, Israeli military personnel confused the humanitarian convoy with a Hamas convoy due to the presence of an armed security guard on one of the trucks. The report concludes that the IDF’s control measures failed, leading to these misidentifications and errors in decision-making.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu previously admitted that the military had struck the convoy but said it was unintentional.