Asked whether any armed individuals were killed, Mendel said: “Maybe one, or maybe none.”
The Israeli military initially termed the attack a “grave mistake” caused by misidentification, later acknowledging that what soldiers’ thought was a weapon was actually a bag.
An Australian investigation led by former air force chief Mark Binskin revealed that senior Israeli commanders had refused an earlier strike request by Mendel due to the proximity of the aid convoy, and that the attack breached a divisional order prohibiting further strikes near humanitarian vehicles that night.
The inquiry also disproved Mendel’s claim regarding route changes, confirming the decision to strike had already been taken before the convoy changed direction.
WCK rejected Mendel’s allegations of links to Hamas as “false and outrageous,” accusing him of attempting to deflect responsibility from the Israeli military whilst renewing calls for a full, independent inquiry.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese reiterated demands for an independent investigation, as Frankcom’s family criticised the Israeli military for withholding audio recordings between drone operators and commanders.