World Central Kitchen rejects Israeli commander's claims following 2024 aid convoy strike

World Central Kitchen has hit back at an Israeli commander who defended the decision to strike a convoy that killed seven aid workers, including Australian Zomi Frankcom, saying "we will never accept the death of humanitarian workers".

In a video on X, the organisation's chief José Andrés said there was "never an excuse for killing" humanitarians.

He released the video in response to an ABC interview with Israeli colonel Nochi Mendel, who ordered the deadly drone strike on an aid convoy in Gaza that killed Ms Frankcom, along with six of her colleagues, in April 2024.

Colonel Mendel told the ABC he did not intend to harm aid workers but said, "I'm not sorry for what I did."

He said he later became aware of what he claims were links between World Central Kitchen (WCK) and Hamas, describing the organisation as not "really a neutral organisation" — allegations the WCK calls "false and outrageous".

A spokesperson for the WCK told the ABC that "this is the latest attempt to shift blame away from the IDF's own actions".

Responding to Colonel Mendel's interview, which was published last week after being conducted in October 2025, Mr Andrés refuted the commander's claims.

"He said we are not a neutral organisation. Really? Let me be very clear to him and to the whole world," he said.

"We are humanitarians."

The organisation also renewed calls for an independent investigation into the April 2024 attack.

Colonel Mendel, the commander who ordered the attack, was sacked from his role as chief of staff for the Israeli military's Nahal infantry brigade.

However, as part of a wider release of military findings on August 19, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it would not pursue a criminal investigation or take additional measures against anyone involved in the incident.

The Frankcom family was "deeply disappointed" by the decision and called for an independent investigation.

"We want an independent investigation, with all the video on audio released in public, so the world can know the truth," Mr Andrés said, echoing Ms Frankcom's family.

"Because we continue to grieve for our friends. We will never forget them or stop fighting for them."

On April 1, 2024, the group was travelling in three armoured cars branded with the WCK logo and driving through part of the Gaza Strip that had been declared a "humanitarian fire control zone" while coordinating movements with the IDF.

An Israeli drone fired three missiles at the convoy — one at each of the cars in succession — as survivors of the initial strike attempted to move from one vehicle to another.

In findings released on August 19 this year, the IDF said it identified a gunman on a truck in the humanitarian aid convoy and believed the situation "corresponded to a scenario in which the Hamas terrorist organisation had taken control of the convoy" and claimed the convoy deviated from the approved route.

In response to the findings, WCK said the IDF had full knowledge that the team was unarmed and was aware of its movement, identities and activities in advance.

"They knew there was no excuse," Mr Andrés reiterated in the video.

"They knew everything about our operations in Gaza in real time. In fact, there were clear orders not to fire on our people."

At the time, the IDF said the attack was a grave mistake, arising from misidentification of the occupants of the convoy as Hamas members.

An Australian investigation into the Israeli government's response to the incident, led by retired defence chief Air Chief Marshal Mark Binskin and published August 2, 2024, found the deaths had been the result of the first vehicle being misidentified due to a number of factors.

They included the presence of armed security in the vicinity, confirmation bias and a "failure within the IDF to fully disseminate and/or read the detailed movement plan approved by the convoy".

As part of the recent release on various IDF investigations into civilian deaths since October 7, the military said it did conclude there were serious failures.

It said the IDF "mistakenly believed that the vehicles contained Hamas military operatives and therefore struck the vehicles", but had stopped short of launching a criminal investigation.

Two IDF commanders — including Colonel Mendel — have already been stripped of their ranks as colonel and major.

A colonel, a major general and a brigadier general have also been reprimanded over the incident.

The ABC's Unravel podcast is investigating the incident, with a report due later this year.