The latest video shared by an Australian aid worker killed in Gaza has broken the hearts of viewers around the world.
The short video shows Melbourne-born Lalzawmi ‘Zomi’ Frankcom, 43, smiling as she gives an overview of the menu World Central Kitchen was preparing for the Palestinian people in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza, on the 26th. of March.
Ms Frankcom and six other members of the WCK team were returning from dropping off 100 tonnes of food and other relief supplies in northern Gaza on Monday local time when they were hit by an Israeli airstrike.
The other six WCK victims were Polish Damian Sobol, 35, Palestinian driver Saifeddin Issam Ayad Abutaha, 25, Jacob Flickinger, 33, a dual US-Canadian citizen, and British citizens John Chapman, of 57 years old, James. Jim Henderson, 33, and James Kirby, 47.
In last week’s video, Ms. Frankcom introduced herself and WCK Chef Oli.
The last video shared of Australian aid worker Lalzawmi ‘Zomi’ Frankcom (left) before she was killed in an airstrike on Monday shows her helping to prepare food for Palestinians.
Ms Frankcom was one of seven World Central Kitchen volunteers killed in a series of Israeli airstrikes on Monday (pictured is the remains of one of the three cars).
“This is the beautiful, fragrant and aromatic rice that will be served,” he said, showing the food being prepared for the citizens of Gaza.
Following the horrific attack, WCK said the “Frankcom team was traveling in a deconfliction zone in two armored vehicles with the WCK logo and a soft-skin vehicle.”
“Despite coordinating movements with the (Israeli army), the convoy was hit while leaving the Deir al-Balah warehouse,” WCK said.
It was later learned that the seven volunteers were traveling in three clearly marked aid vehicles.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) had spotted the three cars as part of a larger convoy as they entered the main distribution center in Deir al-Balah to collect aid.
A member of the IDF unit identified an armed man inside one of the convoy’s trucks as a potential threat; However, neither the truck nor the gunman left with the three WCK cars.
The IDF unit sent a Hermes 450 drone to follow the three vehicles, two of which were armored while the third was a “soft-skinned” 4×4.
All three cars had WCK logos on the roof and doors.
Operators ordered an R9X Hellfire missile to be fired at one of the cars shortly before midnight. His passengers were seen running towards the two remaining cars.
They informed the authorities who were monitoring their movements that they had been hit and fled.
However, the Hermes 450 fired a second missile at another of the cars, just 900 meters from the road.
Once again, the survivors rushed to load the wounded into the last remaining car.
They only made it 1.5 kilometers down the road before the third missile hit, killing the last of the seven volunteers.
WCK shared photos of the seven murdered volunteers (pictured) and said: ‘We are recovering from our loss. The loss of the world
It is understood that an IDF unit attacked the three cars (one of them pictured), as they were previously part of a larger convoy traveling with an armed man.
Distressing images shared online showed the bodies of five of the victims at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital.
Hospital staff retained the bloody and torn passports of three of the dead: British, Polish and Australian.
WCK shared photos of the seven victims on Wednesday morning AEST, with CEO Erin Gore writing: ‘These seven beautiful souls were killed by the IDF in a raid while returning from a full-day mission.
‘Their smiles, laughter and voices are forever etched in our memories. We have countless memories of them giving their best to the world.
‘We are recovering from our loss. The loss of the world.’
The deaths of the innocent aid workers sparked outrage around the world, prompting Israel’s highest-ranking official to share an apology for the “serious mistake.”
In a video, IDF chief Herzi Halevi said that “Israel is at war with Hamas, not with the people of Gaza.”
‘I want to be very clear: the strike was not carried out with the intention of harming WCK humanitarian workers. It was a mistake that followed a mistaken identification: at night, during a war, in very complex conditions. It shouldn’t have happened,’ he claimed.
“We will continue to take immediate measures to ensure that more is done to protect humanitarian aid workers,” he said, adding that the IDF “regrets the unintentional harm to WCK members.”
He added that the IDF “shared the pain” of the victims’ loved ones and said: “We see great importance in the continued delivery of humanitarian aid and will continue to work to facilitate this vital effort.”
Ms. Frankcom and her team had unloaded “100 tons of humanitarian food aid” before being killed (pictured, the last photo Ms. Frankcom sent to her family moments before entering Gaza)
The seven volunteers were killed in three missile attacks on Monday (pictured, people carrying one of the volunteers’ bodies)
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Tuesday demanded that Israel take “full responsibility” for the deaths (pictured inside one of the attacked WCK cars).
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese joined the hordes of international leaders calling for justice following the attacks and on Tuesday demanded that Israel take “full responsibility” for the deaths.
“That is completely unacceptable, and Australia will see full and appropriate accountability, as we would expect, for how this could have happened,” he said.
Ms. Frankcom’s family said Tuesday afternoon that they are “deeply mourning the news that our brave and beloved Zomi has been murdered while doing the job she loves, delivering food to the people of Gaza.”
“He was a kind, selfless and exceptional human being who has traveled the world helping others in times of need,” they said.
‘He will leave a legacy of compassion, bravery and love for all those in his orbit.
“We are still recovering from the shock and humbly request privacy during this difficult time.”
Frankcom’s friends also paid tribute to her on social media, describing her as a “beautiful person”.
‘There are no words I can use to tell you how beautiful she was. “I’m so glad I called her a dear friend,” one wrote.
“Rest in peace our beautiful sister,” said another.
WCK has delivered more than 1,700 truckloads of food and cooking equipment through the Rafah crossing on the border between Cairo, Egypt and Palestine.
Australian Council for International Development chief executive Marc Purcell said it was “truly tragic that an Australian aid worker, working to provide food to starving civilians, has been killed in this way”.
Israel’s highest-ranking official Herzi Halevi (pictured) has apologized for the “serious mistake” of attacking aid workers.
Photos of three bloody passports (pictured) were shared online shortly after the attack.
At least 196 aid workers have died to date in this latest conflict between Israel and Hamas (pictured, one of the WCK cars)
“He died doing a truly heroic job,” he said.
“The laws of war that protect humanitarian workers and civilians are being flagrantly ignored by the Government and the Israel Defense Forces,” said Mr Purcell.
At least 196 aid workers have died to date in this latest conflict between Israel and Hamas.
Aid was being blocked from entering northern Gaza, putting hundreds of thousands of people at risk of starvation, and humanitarian agencies in the south were under “enormous pressure” from airstrikes, Purcell said.
“We call on the Australian Government to urge the Israeli Government to cease attacks on aid convoys and allow the safe passage of humanitarian assistance over land.”