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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
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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
Israel-Gaza war
Bloomberg
Bloomberg
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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.

UN General Assembly demands humanitarian ceasefire in Israel-Gaza war

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

“Australia has consistently affirmed Israel’s right to defend itself,” Wong told a news conference in Adelaide after the UN resolution passed. “And in doing so, we have said as Israel must respect international humanitarian law, civilians and civilian infrastructure, including hospitals must be protected.

“The resolution we have supported is consistent with the position we have previously outlined on these issues.

The death toll in Gaza has eclipsed 17,000, according to the territory’s Hamas-run health authority. The United Nations Security Council last week overwhelmingly voted for a resolution calling for a ceasefire, but the US vetoed it.

The leaders of Australia, Canada and New Zealand, who are all members of the Five Eyes intelligence alliance with the US and Britain, said in their joint statement that they “unequivocally condemn Hamas’ terror attacks on Israel on October 7, the appalling loss of life, and the heinous acts of violence perpetrated in those attacks, including sexual violence.”

They called for a renewed pause in fighting, noting the first had allowed for the release of more than 100 hostages and supported an increase in humanitarian access to affected civilians.

“We want to see this pause resumed and support urgent international efforts towards a sustainable ceasefire,” the leaders said. “This cannot be one-sided. Hamas must release all hostages, stop using Palestinian civilians as human shields, and lay down its arms.”

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There is “no role for Hamas” in the future governance of Gaza, they said, adding they support 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,” the statement said. “We remain concerned about the impact of the conflict spilling across the region and urge all governments in the region to work towards containing the conflict.”

Additional reporting by Reuters

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