David Cameron warns Israel 'this must never happen again' and to undertake 'major reform' of its Gaza tactics as he calls for 'wholly independent review' over the deaths of three British veterans from an IDF airstrike

David Cameron today warned Israel 'this must never happen again' as he demanded a 'wholly independent review' over the killing of three Britons in Gaza.

The deaths of British veterans James 'Jim' Henderson, John Chapman, and James Kirby have piled pressure on the Foreign Secretary to take a tougher line on Israel.

They were among seven aid workers who died when a World Central Kitchen (WCK) convoy was hit by an Israeli airstrike on Monday.

The tragedy has sparked growing calls for Britain to suspend arms sales to Israel.

It has also seen demands for the Government to publish legal advice about whether Israel is violating international humanitarian law with its actions in Gaza.

David Cameron today warned Israel 'this must never happen again' as he demanded a 'wholly independent review' over the killing of three Britons in Gaza

In a strongly-worded statement, published on X/Twitter, this afternoon, Lord Cameron urged 'major reform' of Israel's 'deconfliction mechanism'

There has been global fury at Israel following the 'outrageous' strike on an aid convoy of three cars, which were marked as working for the World Central Kitchen charity

(Left to right) John Chapman, James 'Jim' Henderson and James Kirby, were among aid workers killed in an Israeli air strike in Gaza on Monday

In a strongly-worded statement, published on X/Twitter this afternoon, Lord Cameron urged 'major reform' of Israel's 'deconfliction mechanism' as it continues with its military response to the Hamas terror attacks on 7 October.

The Foreign Secretary also demanded 'a wholly independent review' of Israel's investigation into the killing of the aid workers, as he called for 'the utmost transparency and accountability'.

Lord Cameron said: 'We are carefully reviewing the initial findings of Israel's investigations into the killing of WCK aid workers and welcome the suspension of two officers as a first step. 

'These findings must be published in full and followed up with a wholly independent review to ensure the utmost transparency and accountability. 

'Lessons must be learnt from today's initial findings from the IDF.

'It's clear major reform of Israel's deconfliction mechanism is badly needed to ensure the safety of aid workers.

'The deaths of these brave heroes are a tragedy, and this must never happen again.'

Lord Cameron commented after the Israel Defence Forces dismissed two officers over Monday's drone strike, which it described as a 'grave mistake stemming from a serious failure'.

Mishandling of critical information and violations of the army's rules of engagement have been cited as the reasons for the dismissal. 

Three other senior officers were also reprimanded for their roles in the strike.

The attack on the WCK aid convoy has resulted in rebukes from Israel's allies.

In a phone call with his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday night, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he was 'appalled' by the killing of aid workers and demanded a 'thorough' investigation.

He also warned the situation in Gaza was becoming 'increasingly intolerable'.

US President Joe Biden later threatened to put conditions on America's support for Israel's offensive in Gaza.

Mr Biden 'made clear the need for Israel to announce and implement a series of specific, concrete, and measurable steps to address civilian harm, humanitarian suffering, and the safety of aid workers,' the White House said of his 30-minute phone call with Mr Netanyahu on Thursday.

The site where the World Central Kitchen workers were killed in Deir al-Balah, Gaza

Shocking images on social media showed the aid vehicles blown apart by the drone's missiles - one had a gaping hole in the roof (pictured) while another truck had its rear end hanging off

Palestinians are pictured standing next to a vehicle in Deir Al-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip, where employees from the World Central Kitchen had been killed in an Israeli airstrike

WCK founder Jose Andres claimed the Israeli military knew of his aid workers' movements and targeted them 'systematically, car by car'.

After Israel's announcement, the WCK said the Israeli investigation was an important step but added that there needs to be a systemic change to prevent 'more apologies and more grieving families'.

In a statement the charity said: 'The IDF has acknowledged its responsibility and its fatal errors in the deadly attack on our convoy in Gaza.

'It is also taking disciplinary action against those in command and committed to other reforms. These are important steps forward.

'However, it is also clear from their preliminary investigation that the IDF has deployed deadly force without regard to its own protocols, chain of command and rules of engagement.

'The IDF has acknowledged that our teams followed all proper communications procedures.

'The IDF's own video fails to show any cause to fire on our personnel convoy, which carried no weapons and posed no threat.

'Without systemic change, there will be more military failures, more apologies and more grieving families.

'The root cause of the unjustified rocket fire on our convoy is the severe lack of food in Gaza.

'Israel needs to dramatically increase the volume of food and medicine travelling by land if it is serious about supporting humanitarian aid.'

The Israel Defence Forces has described the strike as a 'grave mistake stemming from a serious failure'.

In its report, the IDF said it had identified a 'gunman' on one of the aid organisation's trucks, and assumed there were Hamas fighters in the vehicles.

The Israeli forces did not associate the vehicles with WCK and, as a result of 'a misidentification', carried out the strikes.

This action was 'in serious violation of the commands and IDF Standard Operating Procedures', the report found.

The relief team's leader, Lalzawmi 'Zomi' Frankcom, 43, an Australian national, also died in the strike, along with American-Canadian dual citizen Jacob Flickinger, 33, Polish national Damian Sobol, 35, and Palestinian Saifeddin Issam Ayad Abutaha, 25

Asked if he agreed the attack in Gaza was part of a wider pattern of similar incidents, IDF spokesman Lt Col Peter Lerner told BBC Radio 4's World At One: 'I think what sets this tragic incident apart from most of the others that you are implying about is of course the magnitude, the extent, and of course the level of grave situation that is resulting, because these are people that were trying to do good.'

He said other investigations were ongoing, adding: 'I think this incident, this very tragic incident, is a very important part of our process of how we conduct ourselves and how we are operating in order to improve in the very challenging and complex situation of the battleground in Gaza.'

Israel had earlier announced it would open more land-based aid routes into Gaza, after pressure to address the humanitarian situation in the Palestinian territory from Mr Biden.

Alicia Kearns, the Conservative chairwoman of the House of Commons' Foreign Affairs Select Committee, had said it was 'devastating' that it had taken six months and the deaths of western aid workers for Israel to change course over the supply of international humanitarian aid.

Ms Kearns said she believed the Government had 'no choice but to suspend arms sales' amid concerns about how Israel may be using British-made weapons.

She added: 'It's important the public understands this isn't a political decision as some seem to want to present it as.

'Legal advice is advisory, so the Government can choose to reject it, but UK arms export licences require a recipient to comply with international humanitarian law and that's why emergency handbrakes for example exist in a change of circumstances.'

She rejected claims the airstrikes were a mistake, adding: 'This is something that is happening on a daily basis, in terms of the attacks on humanitarians, and we are not seeing this outcry about Palestinian volunteers.'

Killed alongside their British colleagues were the relief team's leader, Lalzawmi 'Zomi' Frankcom, 43, an Australian national, American-Canadian dual citizen Jacob Flickinger, 33, Polish national Damian Sobol, 35, and their driver, Palestinian Saifeddin Issam Ayad Abutaha, 25.