Heartbreaking final video of smiling World Central Kitchen aid worker Zomi days before she was killed by IDF air strike in Gaza
The very last video ever 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 gave an overview of the menu World Central Kitchen was preparing for the Palestinian people in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza, on March 26.
Ms. Frankcom and six other WCK team members were returning from delivering 100 tons 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 35-year-old Polish Damian Sobol, 25-year-old Palestinian driver Saifeddin Issam Ayad Abutaha, 33-year-old dual US-Canadian citizen Jacob Flickinger and British citizen John Chapman, 57, James ‘Jim’ Henderson, 33, and James Kirby, 47.
In last week’s video, Ms. Frankcom introduced herself and WCK chief 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 prepare food for Palestinians
Ms Frankcom was one of seven World Central Kitchen volunteers killed in a series of Israeli airstrikes on Monday (photo: the wreckage of one of three cars)
“This is the beautiful, fragrant, aromatic rice that will be served,” she said, showing the food being prepared for the citizens of Gaza.
After the horror attack, WCK said Ms. Frankcom’s team “traveled into a deconfliction zone in two armored cars with the WCK logo and a soft-skinned vehicle.”
“Despite coordinating its movements with the (Israeli army), the convoy was hit as it left the Deir al-Balah warehouse,” WCK said.
It was later revealed that the seven volunteers were traveling in three clearly marked emergency vehicles.
The Israeli 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 the aid.
A member of the IDF unit identified an armed man in one of the convoy’s trucks as a potential threat, but neither the truck nor the armed man left with the three WCK cars.
A Hermes 450 drone was sent by the IDF unit to track the three vehicles – two of which had armor plating, while the third was a ‘soft’ 4×4.
All three cars had WCK logos on their roofs and doors.
Operators ordered an R9X Hellfire missile fired at one of the cars shortly before midnight. The passengers were seen running towards the two remaining cars.
They informed authorities who were monitoring their movements that they had been hit and fled.
However, the Hermes 450 fired a second missile at another car just 900 meters away.
Once again the survivors rushed to load the wounded into the last remaining car.
They got only a mile away before the third rocket hit, killing the last of the seven volunteers.
WCK shared photos of the seven volunteers who died (pictured) and said: “We are reeling from our loss. The loss of the world’
It is understood that an IDF unit attacked the three cars (one pictured) as they were previously part of a larger convoy traveling with an armed man.
Harrowing images shared online showed the bodies of five of the victims at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital.
Hospital staff held up the bloodied and torn passports of three of the dead, who were British, Polish and Australian.
WCK shared photos of all seven victims on Wednesday morning, AEST, with CEO Erin Gore writing: ‘These seven beautiful souls were killed by the IDF in an attack while returning from a day-long mission.
“Their smiles, laughter and voices are forever enshrined in our memories. We have countless memories of those who gave the best of themselves to the world.
‘We are reeling from our loss. The loss of the world.’
The deaths of the innocent aid workers sparked outrage around the world, prompting Israel’s top official to apologize 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 responders. It was a mistake that followed a misidentification – at night during a war under very complex circumstances. It shouldn’t have happened,” he said.
“We will continue to take immediate measures to ensure more is done to protect humanitarian workers,” he said, adding that the IDF “regretted the unintended harm to WCK members.”
He added that the IDF “shared in the grief” of the victims’ loved ones, saying: “We see great importance in the continued delivery of humanitarian assistance, and we will continue to work to facilitate this vital effort.”
Ms. Frankcom and her team had unloaded ‘100 tons of humanitarian food aid’ before they were killed (pictured, the last photo Ms. Frankcom sent her family just before entering Gaza)
All seven volunteers were killed in three rocket attacks on Monday (photo: people carrying the bodies of one of the volunteers)
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese demanded on Tuesday that Israel take ‘full responsibility’ for the deaths (photo, in one of the attacked WCK cars)
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese joined the hordes of international leaders calling for justice after the attacks, demanding on Tuesday that Israel take “full responsibility” for the deaths.
“That is completely unacceptable, and Australia will see full and appropriate accountability, as you would expect, for how this could have happened,” he said.
Ms. Frankcom’s family said Tuesday afternoon that they “deeply mourn the news that our brave and beloved Zomi was killed while doing the work she loves delivering food to the people of Gaza.”
“She was a kind, selfless and outstanding human being who traveled the world helping others in their time of need,” they said.
“She will leave a legacy of compassion, courage and love for all those around her.
“We are still recovering from the shock and humbly request privacy during this difficult time.”
Ms Frankcom’s friends also shared tributes to her on social media, describing her as a ‘beautiful person’.
“There are no words I can use to tell you what a beautiful person she was. I am so blessed to have called her a dear friend,” one person wrote.
“Rest in peace our beautiful sister,” said another.
WCK has delivered more than 1,700 truckloads of food and cooking utensils through the Rafah Crossing on the Cairo-Egypt-Palestine border.
Marc Purcell, director of the Australian Council for International Development, said it was “truly tragic that an Australian aid worker, working to feed starving citizens, has been killed in this way.”
Israel’s top officer, Herzi Halevi (pictured), apologized for the ‘grave mistake’ in targeting aid workers
Photos of three bloodied passports (pictured) were shared online shortly after the attack
At least 196 aid workers have been killed so far in this latest conflict between Israel and Hamas (photo, one of the WCK cars)
“She died doing truly heroic work,” he said.
“The laws of war that protect humanitarian workers and civilians are being blatantly ignored by the Israeli government and military,” Mr Purcell said.
At least 196 aid workers have been killed so far in this latest conflict between Israel and Hamas.
Aid from northern Gaza was blocked, putting hundreds of thousands of people at risk of starvation, and humanitarian organizations 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 land passage of humanitarian aid.”