Prime Minister Anthony Albanese joins world leaders to call for Gaza ceasefire

Anthony Albanese has joined allies to argue that the price of defeating Hamas “cannot be the continuous suffering of all Palestinian civilians”.

Australia has joined New Zealand and Canada to call for urgent international “efforts towards a sustainable ceasefire” in the Israel-Hamas war.

In a joint statement issued on Wednesday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese joined allies to express their deep concerns about the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian conditions in Gaza.

It came as the UN General Assembly voted overwhelmingly for a non-binding draft resolution to call for a humanitarian ceasefire, with Australia among the 153 nations voting in favour.

In their statement, the three leaders condemned the October 7 Hamas attacks and called for the resumption of a seven-day pause in fighting that ended earlier this month.

“We recognise Israel’s right to exist and right to defend itself. In defending itself, Israel must respect international humanitarian law,” the statement read.

“We are alarmed at the diminishing safe space for civilians in Gaza. The price of defeating Hamas cannot be the continuous suffering of all Palestinian civilians.

Leaders including Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau say they are ‘deeply concerned’ by the scale of the humanitarian crisis in the occupied territory. Picture: Alexis Aubin/AFP.

“We remain deeply concerned by the scale of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and ongoing risks to all Palestinian civilians. Safe and unimpeded humanitarian access must be increased and sustained.”

As part of its offensive against Hamas, Israeli tanks and warplanes have continued to carry out new strikes on Southern Gaza, with the Palestinian death toll rising to more than 18,000 people, according to the Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Ministry.

Mr Albanese joined Canadian leader Justin Trudeau and New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to call for safe and unimpeded humanitarian access to be increased and sustained.

They also said a ceasefire couldn’t be one-sided and called on Hamas to release all hostages and “stop using Palestinian civilians as human shields”.

“There is no role for Hamas in the future governance of Gaza,” the statement read.

“We support Palestinians’ right to self-determination. We oppose the forcible displacement of Palestinians from Gaza, the reoccupation of Gaza, any reduction in territory, and any use of siege or blockade. We emphasise that Gaza must no longer be used as a platform for terrorism.”

The statement comes amid rising global concerns over the conflict.

The three leaders said they acknowledged that settlements and settler violence were “serious obstacles” towards a negotiated two-state solution between Israel and Palestine and expressed their support for Palestinians’ right to self-determination.

“We recommit ourselves to working with partners toward a just and enduring peace in the form of a two-state solution, where Israelis and Palestinians can live securely within internationally recognised borders,” leaders said.

The declaration comes after US President Joe Biden aired his most direct rebuke towards Israel to date, publicly urging Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to do more to protect civilians in Gaza in its war against Hamas.

Mr Biden told an election fundraising event on Tuesday that Israel was losing international support because of its “indiscriminate bombing” of Gaza.

Penny Wong will visit Israel and other Middle Eastern countries in January. Picture: Morgan Sette/NCA NewsWire.

Following the statement’s release, Treasurer Jim Chalmers said Mr Albanese’s call for a ceasefire would be impactful and generate supporte an immediate pause in hostilities.

Opposition foreign affairs spokesman Simon Birmingham said the leaders use of language was “in some ways to try to be all things to all people” and argued that Israel’s military operation targeting Hamas was one that inevitably “came with a loss of life”.

“We all want to see an end to human suffering, but nobody should want to see a situation where there is a premature end and, ultimately, Hamas simply regroups, rearms and recommits the types of atrocities that happened on October 7,” he said.

Agriculture Minister Murray Watt said the Coalition had “sought to make politics” throughout the conflict.

“I don’t see how a country like Australia could say anything other than what the government is saying, which is that Hamas’s behaviour is abhorrent, they need to release their hostages, and equally, Israel has a responsibility to meet international humanitarian law.”