Before venturing into Gaza as an aid worker, Lalzawmi (Zomi) Frankcom, 43, who was born to an Australian father and an Indian mother, said her purpose was to “provide relief and warm food” to those affected by the conflict in the Palestinian enclave, her family members have recalled. Lalzawmi’s mission, however, was cut short when she was killed on Monday along with six others when their convoy was struck by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
The humanitarian convoy was hit as it was leaving Gaza’s Deir al-Balah warehouse, where the team had unloaded more than 100 tons of food aid, “despite coordinating movements with the IDF,” the World Central Kitchen said. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has acknowledged that IDF forces “unintentionally hit innocent people” in a “tragic” incident. IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi has described the bombing of the convoy as a “grave mistake.”
A report in Haaretz suggests, however, that the attack was intentional as Israel had fired missiles on three separate occasions over suspicions that a Hamas operative was traveling with the group.
Speaking to RT, Lalzawmi’s family members in India’s northeastern state of Mizoram detailed the chain of events that led to her ill-fated mission in Gaza.