Anthony Albanese demands Israel to stop aid blockade to Gaza, calls for urgent action

Anthony Albanese has called for Israel to immediately stop its aid blockade in Gaza, stating its actions “cannot be defended or ignored”.

Anthony Albanese has made his strongest demand to Israel to date, urging the Netanyahu government to “immediately” stop the blockage of aid in Gaza, with the Prime Minister stating the situation “ has gone beyond the world’s worst fears”.

In what was his strongest comments to date, Mr Albanese said the conflict had “stolen far too many innocent lives” and Israel’s actions could no longer be “defended or ignored”.

“Gaza is in the grip of a humanitarian catastrophe. Israel’s denial of aid and the killing of civilians, including children, seeking access to water and food cannot be defended or ignored,” he said in a statement issued on Friday.

“We call 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.

“Any proposals for the permanent forced displacement of the Palestinian population must be abandoned.”

Anthony Albanese said Israel’s actions denial of aid and the killing of civilians could not be ‘defended or ignored’. Picture: AFP

Earlier in the week, Australia was one of 27 countries, including the United Kingdom, Japan, Canada and France, which condemned Israel’s “drip feeding of aid” and the “inhumane killing” of Palestinians.

Signatories said they were also “prepared to take further action to support an immediate ceasefire and a political pathway to security and peace for Israelis, Palestinians and the entire region”.

On Friday afternoon, Foreign Minister Penny Wong, Defence Minister Richard Marles and their counterparts from the United Kingdom, holding the annual AUKMIN meeting, re-iterated the need for an immediate ceasefire, the release of hostages and aid to flow unimpeded.

Israel’s Ambassador to Australia Amir Maimon released a statement which, while not referencing Mr Albanese’s statement directly, did address some of its claims.

“When genocidal terrorists storm a nation’s homes, murdering, raping, and torturing innocent men, women, and children, any responsible state must defend its citizens,” Mr Maimon said.

“Israel, like any other sovereign nation, is not only entitled but obligated under international law to do so and we will continue doing exactly that.

“To condemn Israel for defending itself is wrong.

“It deflects from the real perpetrators of this horror: Hamas.”

Mr Maimon went on to tell the international community to “stop equivocating” and instead place pressure on Hamas.

Global aid organisations are warning of the rampant starvation in Gaza prompted by the blockage of aid trucks by Israel. Picture: Omar Al-Qattaa/ AFP

In recent days the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) has said one in every five children are malnourished, with its frontline health workers surviving on just one small meal a day.

It says more than 6000 aid trucks carrying food and medicine have been blocked from entering Gaza.

World Health Organisation chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has also described the situation in Gaza as a “man-made mass starvation,” with the Gaza health ministry stating at least 111 people had died from starvation.

On Friday, the US also confirmed it had withdrawn from the ceasefire talks between Israel in Qatar, with Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff blaming Hamas.

Mr Albanese condemned the “terror and brutality of Hamas” and reiterated calls for the “immediate release of the remaining hostages”.

Anthony Albanese gave his strongest condemnation of Israel’s actions on Friday. Picture: NewsWire/ Martin Ollman

He also confirmed Australia still supported a two-state solution, and was “proud” to support the modern state of Israel” while also “recognising the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people”.

“The reason a two-state solution remains the goal of the international community is because a just and lasting peace depends upon it,” he said.

“Australia is committed to a future where both the Israeli and Palestinian peoples can live in peace and safety, within secure and internationally recognised borders.

“Until that day, every effort must be made here and now to safeguard innocent life and end the suffering and starvation of the people of Gaza.”

Coalition foreign affairs spokeswoman Michaelia Cash said that while the opposition agreed that Israel needed to “urgently” resume aid delivery into Gaza, Mr Albanese’s response should have placed more direct blame on Hamas.

She added that Hamas could “end the suffering of the people of Gaza by freeing the remaining Israeli hostages and laying down their weapons”.

“It is disappointing that Prime Minister Albanese’s statement about Gaza once again fails to place any blame on Hamas, a listed terrorist organisation, for the delays in aid reaching the people of Gaza,” she said.

“Any moral outrage about the situation in Gaza should be directed at Hamas. Hamas and its allies have tried to disrupt the flow of aid into Gaza and have stolen humanitarian aid for their own purposes.

“This war began because of Hamas’s abhorrent attack on Israeli civilians, where over 1200 were murdered in cold blood, and they bear responsibility for the continuation of this conflict.”

Mr Albanese’s statement also follows a chaotic start to the 48th parliament, with hundreds of protesters gathering on the lawns of parliament calling for a tougher response against Israel.

A protest which erupted in Parliament House’s public Marble Hall resulted in police detaining and removing 17 people.

ACT Policing has also confirmed that they will be issued with formal banning notices at a later date.

Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi was also sanctioned for holding up a sign which read: “Prime minister, Gaza is starving, will you sanction Israel?” during Governor-General Sam Mostyn’s address to parliament.

The NSW senator has now been banned from participating in overseas parliamentary delegations of the remainder of the 48th parliamentary term.

Originally published as Anthony Albanese demands Israel to stop aid blockade to Gaza, calls for urgent action