{
  "id": 4637432,
  "title": "World Central Kitchen chief slams IDF soldier behind Zomi Francom attack",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/31/world-central-kitchen-chief-slams-idf-soldier-behind-zomi-francom",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-31T11:48:21.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "ABC News AU",
    "slug": "abc-news-au",
    "url": "https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-08-31/world-central-kitchen-responds-to-idf-over-zomi-frankcom-attack/107100028"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "José Andrés, the chief of World Central Kitchen (WCK), has strongly criticized an Israeli commander who defended the killing of Australian aid worker Zomi Francom. Responding to an ABC interview with Israeli colonel Nochi Mendel, who ordered the 2024 drone strike that resulted in Francom's death along with six other colleagues, Andrés released a video on X. In the video, the WCK chief stressed that there is never an excuse for killing humanitarian workers, emphasizing that the organization will never accept such deaths. Andrés released the video in response to the Israeli colonel's claims that he did not intend to harm aid workers and that he is not sorry for his actions, as well as his assertion that WCK is not a neutral organization. The WCK spokesperson dismissed these allegations as \"false and outrageous.\" Andrés' criticism comes after an Australian investigation into the Israeli government's response to the incident, which concluded that the deaths were caused by the first vehicle being misidentified due to factors like armed security in the area, confirmation bias, and the IDF's failure to fully disseminate or follow the convoy's movement plan. Despite the Israeli military's admission of serious failures, it did not initiate a criminal investigation. Two IDF commanders, including Mendel, have been stripped of their ranks, and a colonel, major general, and brigadier general have been reprimanded. The WCK has also called for an independent investigation into the April 2024 attack, demanding the release of all video and audio evidence for public scrutiny to ensure the truth comes to light.",
  "summary": "The organisation's chief José Andrés says there is \"never an excuse for killing\" humanitarians.",
  "key_points": [
    "José Andrés, WCK chief, condemns Israeli colonel Nochi Mendel",
    "Andrés asserts killing aid workers never justified",
    "WCK demands independent investigation into April 2024 attack"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}