Israeli ambassador rejects 'political attacks' on report clearing soldiers in Frankcom killing

Israel's ambassador to Australia says the IDF investigation that cleared soldiers of criminal wrongdoing in the killing of seven aid workers was thorough, rejecting "political attacks" on its findings.

Penny Wong called in the ambassador, Hillel Newman, for an explanation after she expressed outrage that the Israeli government would not seek criminal prosecution against personnel involved in the killing of aid worker Zomi Frankcom.

The Greens and prominent human rights lawyer Chris Sidoti have called for the ambassador's expulsion from Australia.

Israel's ambassador Hillel Newman has defended the military investigation that cleared its soldiers of criminal wrongdoing in the killing of Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom, saying the findings should not be attacked if they "are not suitable to one's political agenda".

Foreign Minister Penny Wong called in Mr Newman to explain the outcomes of the two-year Israel Defense Forces (IDF) investigation after expressing outrage that no-one would be held criminally liable for the 2024 death of Ms Frankcom and six other humanitarian workers killed in a drone strike while travelling in a World Central Kitchen convoy through Gaza.

Senator Wong was incensed after learning that the IDF would not seek criminal prosecution just minutes before the report's release, and hours after attending an event with Ms Frankcom's family at Parliament House for World Humanitarian Day, where the minister launched the Zomi Frankcom award for aid workers.

"Zomi represented the best of Australia. Her courage deserves to be celebrated. Her family deserves justice," Senator Wong said in a statement ahead of her meeting with Mr Newman.

"Australia is outraged the Israeli Government has decided not to pursue criminal proceedings against those responsible for killing Zomi Frankcom and her World Central Kitchen colleagues."

The IDF conceded in its investigation that serious failures had led to soldiers mistakenly believing that a Hamas fighter was travelling with the convoy.

But it said WCK did not flag with the IDF the presence of armed security travelling with the convoy, and the convoy deviated from an agreed route that had been coordinated with the military.

The review concluded that the decisions of the commanders did not raise reasonable suspicion of criminal misconduct .

WCK says an independent review is needed, and that the IDF "cannot credibly investigate its own conduct".

"Israel came out with findings after a thorough investigation, after a two-year investigation into the circumstances of the death of Zomi Frankcom. Since I took up my mission here about five months ago I was implored all the time to bring about closure, which I did," Mr Newman said.

"But in the end, one must also understand that not every case where someone dies, where there is a casualty, that that means there is a criminal liability.