Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stressed the need to make every effort to safeguard innocent life and end the suffering and starvation of the people of Gaza, describing the situation as a "humanitarian catastrophe."
In a statement today, Albanese said, "Israel's denial of aid and the killing of civilians, including children, seeking access to water and food cannot be defended or ignored."
He called on Israel to comply immediately with its obligations under international law. This includes allowing the United Nations and NGOs to carry out their lifesaving work safely and without hindrance.
Albanese also stressed the need to abandon any proposals for the permanent forced displacement of the Palestinian population , noting that "the global community envisioned two states: the State of Israel and the State of Palestine."
This statement comes amid widespread international condemnation of the severe hunger and humanitarian crisis facing the people of the Gaza Strip, in light of Israel's continued restrictions on aid and its ongoing aggression against the Strip since October 2023.
