Australia steps up push for Gaza humanitarian corridor
Australia has urged the protection of all civilians across Israel and occupied Palestinian territories as efforts continue to establish a safe humanitarian corridor out of Gaza.
Penny Wong Photo: X
Foreign Minister Penny Wong has held phone calls with International Committee of the Red Cross president Mirjana Spoljaric Egger, Lebanon’s caretaker foreign minister Bou Habib and Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry.
Senator Wong spoke to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi earlier in the week.
Australia continued to do all it could to support international efforts to open a humanitarian passage at the Rafah crossing, a spokeswoman for the foreign minister said.
The Rafah crossing connects Egypt and the Gaza strip.
“Regrettably, efforts to secure passage have not yet been successful,” the spokeswoman said.
The department is in contact with 88 Australians in Gaza who have no way to exit the region, which is being blockaded by Israel.
Israel continues to press into the strip after Hamas, a declared terrorist organisation by the Australian government, launched an attack against civilians on October 7, killing at least 1400 Israelis and taking more than 200 hostage.
Gazan authorities say the death toll among Palestinians has passed 8000 due to Israel’s retaliatory strikes.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said it was important to recognise Israel’s right to defend itself, but how it did so mattered.
“We need to make sure, as well, that every civilian life is valued, whether it be Israeli or Palestinian – every innocent loss of life is a tragedy,” he told reporters in Bundaberg on Tuesday.
Former prime ministers John Howard, Kevin Rudd, Julia Gillard, Tony Abbott, Malcolm Turnbull and Scott Morrison issued a joint statement on Monday calling for Australians to remain united in the face of conflict abroad.
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry called the letter “a powerful rejection of the incitement to hatred and violence directed at Jews in Australia at anti-Israel rallies”.
“The fact that our former prime ministers put aside ideological and political differences to stand united in rejecting terrorism and anti-Semitism is an example that all Australians should follow,” co-chief executive Alex Ryvchin said.
Former Labor prime minister Paul Keating declined to sign the statement.
The joint letter said the former prime ministers stood with all Jewish Australians and the Australian Palestinian community for the “suffering” being experienced.
It also called for humanitarian access to Gaza and reaffirmed their support for a two-state solution.
Opposition foreign affairs spokesman Simon Birmingham said the letter was a powerful statement and a reminder of Hamas being a terrorist organisation that would pose a continued threat to Israel if not brought under control.
But the Australia Palestine Advocacy Network has accused the six of allowing themselves to be used as a “tool” to “minimise Israel’s gross violations of international law for the past 75 years”.
President Nasser Mashni branded the statement as hollow.
“Their significant platform should have been used to echo calls by the United Nations for an immediate ceasefire,” he said.
“How the former prime ministers could have the audacity to quote religious texts about peace while Israel is carpet bombing two million people in Gaza is gut-wrenching hypocrisy.”
AAP
