Big move after Aussie aid worker’s death

Australia will push for tougher protection for aid workers following the death of Melbourne woman Zomi Frankcom, who died in Gaza after an Israeli air strike in Gaza.

At the time she was working with World Central Kitchen and delivering food to the besieged neighbourhood of Deir al-Balah, and died alongside six international and Palestinian colleagues.

Israel has since claimed the attack was a “grave mistake” and a result of “misidentification”.

Currently in New York attending the United Nation General Assembly High Level Week, Foreign Minister Penny Wong will call for a new Declaration for the Protection of Humanitarian Personnel.

The declaration will be drafted with humanitarian organisations, who she will meet on Monday New York time, cross regional ministers and the UN Secretary-General António Guterres.

Following negotiations, the global initiative will be drafted to reaffirm existing humanitarian law, and include actionable steps to better protect aid workers in conflict zones.

All General Assembly members, which includes Israel, will be invited to pledge their support.

While more aid workers were killed in 2023 than any other year, with 280 killed and more wounded and kidnapped, the sobering figures are set to increase in 2024

Ms Wong said this was evidence “signifies that the rules and norms that protect humanitarian personnel” were at risk, which would set a dangerous precedent for current and future conflicts.

“You can’t protect civilians if you don’t protect the aid workers who are delivering the food, water and medicine they need to survive,” she said.

“It also signifies that calls for compliance with international humanitarian law are not being heard.”

She said Australia “felt this deeply” with the death of Ms Frankcom, and her colleagues.

“We want to ensure that their tragic deaths are not in vain and do not continue,” she said.

“Now is the moment for the international community to rededicate itself to the protection of aid workers in conflict zones.”

The declaration has been backed by the and the Australian Council for International Development (ACFID), the Australian Red Cross and UNICEF.

Australian Red Cross executive director of international humanitarian law Yvette Zegenhagen backed the pledge and said 28 Red Cross and Red Crescent volunteers and staff had died in conflicts this year alone.

She said she hoped the initiative would “forward global dialogue and action” and ensure the safety or aid workers in some one the world’s most dangerous areas.

“The alarming rise of fatalities of humanitarian workers highlights an urgent need for the international community to reaffirm its commitment to upholding international humanitarian law,” Ms Zegenhagen said.

“We look forward to supporting this initiative through continued collaboration with the Australian Government, and our Movement colleagues, leveraging both our operational footprint and our work on international humanitarian law in Australia.”

The family of Zomi Frankcom said aid workers needed to be “not only celebrated but protected,” and offered their support for the declaration.

“Zomi wasn’t naive enough to believe there weren’t risks, but to carry out the work she believed so passionately in, she needed to be able to trust that the deconfliction mechanisms in place would protect her … and that the lives of humanitarian aid workers like her wouldn’t be carelessly disregarded” they said.

“We support and appreciate this initiative to improve the protection of all aid workers around the world. We also wish for an immediate end to the blatant disregard for safety shown to aid workers and innocent civilians in the current conflict, but more so, a ceasefire and end to the current conflict.”

On Monday, Australia also announced it would provide UNICEF and UNFPA an additional $10m to provide assistance to the ongoing crisis in Gaza, including the delivery of nutrition support and hygiene and dignity kits. Since Hamas’ October 7 attacks, which prompted a deadly retaliation from Israel, Australia has committed $82.5m in humanitarian assistance.