Israel says its military did not commit a criminal act when it killed a Canadian and six other aid workers in Gaza two years ago, according to a statement summarizing findings from an internal review. The assessment concludes the incident did not amount to wrongdoing by the Israeli armed forces.
The clarification arrives as part of a broader official response to investigations surrounding an airstrike on a World Central Kitchen convoy. The Canadian victim’s family and the eight others who died in the attack were previously identified in reporting on the event, which occurred during the Gaza operation two years prior to the statement.
Officials characterized the review as an internal process that determined no criminal liability on the part of the military, though they did not detail the specific evidentiary basis or the criteria used to reach the conclusion. The release reiterates that the incident involved seven aid workers and one Canadian casualty, and notes that the investigation focused on whether criminal acts occurred in the chain of command or execution of the strike.
The announcement adds context to ongoing discussions about accountability and conduct in military operations within Gaza. It does not imply changes to past investigations or findings beyond the described determination of no criminal act by the Israeli military, according to the language of the statement.
Reactions to the decision were not included in the release, and additional details about the geographic scope of the strike, the convoy’s affiliation with World Central Kitchen, or the identities of the other deceased aid workers were not further elaborated in the summary. Further information is expected to emerge through subsequent reports or official briefings.
