'Catastrophic': Australia condemns Israel plan for Gaza
Foreign Minister Penny Wong warned the looming military operation risked violating international law and putting the lives of hostages and civilians in more danger.
In a statement on Saturday, Senator Wong joined Germany, Italy, New Zealand and the United Kingdom to "strongly reject" Israel's decision to launch a large-scale military operation in Gaza.
"The plans that the government of Israel has announced risk violating international humanitarian law," the ministers said.
"Any attempts at annexation or of settlement extension violate international law."
The foreign ministers said the plans would aggravate the catastrophic humanitarian situation, endanger the lives of the hostages and further risk the mass displacement of civilians.
"We urge the parties and the international community to make all efforts to finally bring this conflict to an end now, through an immediate and permanent ceasefire," they said.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu went against the advice of his military leaders to declare he intended to take military control of all of Gaza.
"We intend to," Mr Netanyahu told Fox News when asked if Israel would take over the entire territory.
Israel would eventually hand over the territory to Arab forces, which would govern it, he said.
"We don't want to keep it," Mr Netanyahu said.
"We want to have a security perimeter. We don't want to govern it. We don't want to be there as a governing body."
The move could displace an estimated one million Palestinians and has sparked international outrage.
Germany has suspended arms sales to Israel, concerned the weapons could be used in Gaza.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, a conservative whose support for Israel was a foundation of his election campaign, said he would not authorise any exports of military equipment that could be used in Gaza "until further notice".
The development marks a major shift in German foreign policy.
The UN Security Council is set to discuss the proposed escalation while Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is expected to discuss the war during a meeting with his New Zealand counterpart, Christopher Luxon, in Queenstown.
The Israeli government is pursuing "total victory" in its war with Hamas, which attacked the nation's south in October 2023, killing approximately 1200 people and taking about 250 hostages.
Israel's retaliatory assaults have killed more than 61,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza health ministry.
Some 200 people, almost half of them children, have reportedly died of starvation.
The worsening humanitarian situation has driven plans from the UK, France and Canada to call for the recognition of Palestine at a UN meeting in September, pending conditions such as Hamas returning the remaining hostages.
Australian government ministers have said the nation's recognition of Palestinian statehood is a matter of "when, not if".
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Perth Now
2 hours ago
- Perth Now
New era of trans-Tasman co-operation in turbulent world
Australia and New Zealand are entering a new era of co-operation as leaders from both nations embrace shared values in an increasingly turbulent world. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is in Queenstown for a two-day meeting with his New Zealand counterpart Christopher Luxon, marking his second time crossing the Tasman as leader after last visiting in 2023. In a show of the bond between the two nations, Mr Luxon warmly embraced the Australian prime minister as they met on Saturday for leadership talks. The first day centred on unity between the two nations and how they can co-operate on various issues, including safeguarding security and prosperity in an increasingly uncertain geo-strategic environment. This included committing to further integrating the two nations' economies in the "most unpredictable and dangerous" strategic environment in decades. Foreign policy challenges relating to dealing with China, the United States and China's encroachment in the South Pacific region would be agenda-topping issues during the talks, University of Otago politics researcher Nicholas Khoo said. Both leaders agreed that competition between the world's superpowers, China and the US, needed to be managed, and continued dialogue was important to reduce risks of misunderstanding, miscalculation, escalation and conflict in the Pacific region. China was the main topic on everyone's lips, with the pair discussing their grave concerns over its increasingly "dangerous and provocative" behaviour in the South China Sea. Mr Luxon said the Asian superpower was a significant player in the world and a permanent feature of global affairs. "We have an approach which is about co-operating where we can ... We disagree where we must. We have different systems, different values," he said, which Mr Albanese echoed. Both leaders praised work to strengthen military co-operation, which Prof Khoo said was appropriate given the increasing uncertainty in international politics. "It's an area where we could legitimately expect to see very real progress," he told AAP. Prof Khoo said this meeting showed the two neighbours' "steady build-up" of co-operation, which he said didn't exist until two years ago. '"This is, in some aspects, a new era of co-operation, which is a positive development for both sides," he said. Prof Khoo said New Zealand only had one alliance partner in Australia, and this summit showed its investment in that relationship. "In these very turbulent times, this is one of the linchpins of regional security that deserves the attention," he said. The Australian and New Zealand standards bodies have also announced a new agreement to renew joint standards arrangements, which will streamline regulations for certain sectors, including construction, healthcare and manufacturing, to boost economic growth. In a sign of closer ties, Mr Albanese joked about going for a "cuddle" as both leaders sauntered off after the media conference arm-in-arm, laughing.
Canberra Times
4 hours ago
- Canberra Times
Israel cops flak over military expansion in Gaza
Mediators Egypt and Qatar are preparing a new ceasefire framework that would include the release of all hostages — dead and alive — in one go in return for the war's end and the withdrawal of Israeli forces, two Arab officials have told The Associated Press.
Perth Now
4 hours ago
- Perth Now
Israel cops flak over military expansion in Gaza
International condemnation is growing over Israel's decision for a military takeover of Gaza City, while little appeared to change immediately on the ground in the territory shattered by 22 months of war. The United Nations Security Council has scheduled an emergency meeting on Sunday morning in New York. Health officials said that 11 Palestinians seeking aid were shot dead, and 11 adults died of malnutrition-related causes in the past 24 hours. US special envoy Steve Witkoff was expected to meet with Qatar's prime minister in Spain on Saturday to discuss a new proposal to end the war, according to two officials familiar with the talks, who spoke on condition of anonymity. Mediators Egypt and Qatar are preparing a new ceasefire framework that would include the release of all hostages — dead and alive — in one go in return for the war's end and the withdrawal of Israeli forces, two Arab officials have told The Associated Press. Families of hostages were rallying again on Saturday evening to pressure the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. There are fears for the fate of the 50 remaining hostages, with 20 of them thought to be alive and struggling. "The living will be murdered and the fallen will be lost forever," if the offensive goes ahead, said Einav Zangauker, whose son Matan is held in Gaza. A joint statement by nine countries, including Germany, Britain, France and Canada, said that they "strongly reject" Israel's decision for the large-scale military operation, saying it will worsen the "catastrophic humanitarian situation," endanger hostages and further risk mass displacement. A separate statement by more than 20 countries, including ceasefire mediators Egypt and Qatar, along with Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates, called Israel's decision a "dangerous and unacceptable escalation". Meanwhile, Russia said Israel's plan will aggravate the "already extremely dramatic situation" in Gaza. And Germany has said it won't authorise any exports of military equipment to Israel that could be used in Gaza until further notice. Officials at Nasser and Awda hospitals said that Israeli forces killed at least 11 people seeking aid in southern and central Gaza. Some had been waiting for aid trucks, while others had been approaching aid distribution points. Israel's military denied opening fire and said that it was unaware of the incidents. The military secures routes leading to distribution sites run by the Israeli-backed and US-supported Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. Two witnesses told the AP that Israeli troops fired toward crowds approaching a GHF distribution site on foot in the Netzarim corridor, a military zone that bisects Gaza. One witness, Ramadan Gaber, said that snipers and tanks fired on aid-seekers, forcing them to retreat. In Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, some aid-seekers cheered the latest airdrops of aid. Hundreds of people rushed to grab what they could, though many have called the process degrading. Aid organisations have called airdrops expensive, insufficient and potentially dangerous for people on the ground. Israel's military said that at least 106 packages of aid were airdropped on Saturday as Italy and Greece joined the multi-country effort for the first time. Footage from Italy's defence ministry showed not only packages being parachuted over Gaza but the dry and devastated landscape below. "This way is not for humans, it is for animals," said one man at the scene, Mahmoud Hawila, who said he was stabbed while trying to secure an airdropped package. Barefoot children collected rice, pasta and lentils that had spilled from packages onto the ground.
