Australia, New Zealand, Canada break with US to call for ceasefire in Israel-Gaza war

In a joint statement, the three countries’ leaders said ‘the price of defeating Hamas cannot be the continuous suffering of all Palestinian civilians’

The death toll in Gaza has eclipsed 17,000. The US vetoed a UN Security Council resolution last week that overwhelmingly called for a ceasefire

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An Israeli artillery unit fires shells at Gaza from southern Israel on Tuesday. More than 17,000 people have been killed in the Palestinian territory since the war began. Photo: Reuters

Published: 9:44am, 13 Dec 2023

The prime ministers of Australia, Canada and New Zealand have called for a renewed pause in hostilities in Gaza and urgent international efforts to secure a sustainable ceasefire.

In a joint statement on Wednesday, Anthony Albanese, Justin Trudeau and Christopher Luxon said they are 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, they said.

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

Israeli troops take position on a hill overlooking Gaza on Monday, with destroyed buildings seen in the background. Photo: AFP

The comments come after US President Joe Biden warned that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing government risks eroding international support for his nation’s military campaign against Hamas by refusing to endorse a two-state solution for Palestinians.

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said on Wednesday the country had supported a UN resolution calling for a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza out of concern for civilians in the besieged enclave, in a rare split with close ally the United States.

After dire warnings by UN officials over a deepening humanitarian crisis in Gaza in the two month long war between Israel and Hamas militants, the 193-member UN General Assembly passed a resolution calling for a ceasefire with 153 countries including Australia voting in favour and 23 abstaining.

Ten countries voted against including the US and Israel, which argue a ceasefire only benefits Hamas.

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