Australian leaders react to IDF rescue of hostages from Hamas in Gaza
The rescue of four Israeli hostages during an operation conducted by Israeli Defence Forces on Saturday elicited strong reactions across Australia, while one prominent politician remained silent.
NSW
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The rescue of four Israeli hostages during an operation conducted by Israeli Defence Forces on Saturday is a reminder that the war in Gaza would end “quickly” if all the hostages were released, former Australian ambassador to Israel Dave Sharma has said.
The NSW Senator said the rescue was “great news”.
“It’s a reminder that if Hamas released all its hostages this war would be over pretty quickly – the longer Hamas holds them, the longer this war goes on for,” he said.
“I can’t imagine what they (the hostages) have been through – It was really heartwarming to see them reunited with their families.”
News of the rescue of the hostages, including 26-year-old Noa Argamani who became the face of the October 7 massacre when she was kidnapped on the back of a motorbike, was met with strong emotions across the state.
Members of the state’s Jewish community responded to the news with tears of joy.
Executive Council of Australian Jewry Co-CEO Alex Ryvchin said Jewish households across the state were overjoyed.
“For so long we hoped and prayed they would be home and safe,” he said.
“Right now is a time to celebrate because life has prevailed over death.”
The four hostages were rescued by the Israel Defence Force from two separate locations in Nuseirat, however Hamas has reported the operation killed 210 people and wounded a further 400.
Mr Ryvchin said the deaths were “a tragedy entirely of Hamas’s choosing”.
“These hostages were held captive … kept in heavily built up, densely populated areas by Palestinian families,” he said.
“No doubt civilian casualties will occur, they’re a tragedy. But this is the war that we’re in, this is the situation that Hamas has chosen,” he said.
Australian Palestine Advocacy Network president Nasser Mashni said Australian Palestinians were devastated to hear of the reported death toll.
“Israel, supported by the US, has carried out yet another massacre,” he said.
“There have been numerous opportunities for a negotiated release and return of hostages since October and Israel has refused them.
“Massacres in a refugee camp does not count as a rescue mission.”
Foreign Minister Penny Wong made no public remarks on the operation on Sunday.
“We want to see all hostages released, civilians protected, and parties agree to the ceasefire proposal presented by President Biden,” a spokesperson for Ms Wong said.
Greens Leader Adam Bandt responded to the news by calling for sanctions against Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s war cabinet ministers over their role in the country’s actions in Gaza, calling on Anthony Albanese to punish Israel’s “extreme war cabinet”.
“All the political prisoners should be released, and I hope that the government will also make comments on the reported one-to-two hundred Palestinians who have been killed over this period as well,” Mr Bandt said.
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