Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese revealed that he had a 'reasonably long' phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday following a tragic incident. This conversation marked the first time the two leaders had spoken since seven aid workers, including an Australian national, lost their lives in an Israel Defense Forces strike the day before.
The IDF swiftly acknowledged that the strike was a result of a 'mistake that followed a misidentification.' They emphasized that there was no intention to harm the aid workers and described the incident as a 'grave mistake.'
During the call, Albanese shared that Netanyahu expressed his condolences for the death of Australian citizen Zomi Frankcom. The Israeli Prime Minister also assured 'full transparency' regarding Israel's investigation into the unfortunate event.
Additionally, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong engaged with her Israeli counterpart to convey the sentiments of Australians, who were described as 'outraged' by the incident. In a statement issued on Tuesday, Wong strongly condemned the loss of the aid workers, labeling it as 'outrageous and unacceptable.'
Wong emphasized the Australian government's demand for a 'thorough and expeditious review' of the circumstances surrounding the deaths. She stressed the necessity of 'full accountability' for the tragic outcome.
