At least 93 reported killed queuing for food in Gaza as Israel issues fresh evacuation orders – Middle East crisis live
Date: 2025-07-21T06:50:15.000Z
Title: At 93 reported dead while seeking aid in Gaza
Content: Gaza's civil defence agency said at least 93 Palestinians had been killed queueing for food on Sunday, while Israel issued fresh evacuation orders for areas packed with displaced people.
The territory's health ministry said scores were killed by Israeli fire while waiting for UN aid trucks entering through the northern Zikim crossing with Israel. It was one of the highest reported death tolls among repeated recent cases in which aid seekers have been killed by Israeli fire.
Elsewhere nine others were reportedly shot dead near an aid point close to Rafah in the south, where dozens of people lost their lives just 24 hours earlier, while four were killed near another aid site in Khan Younis, spokesperson for the civil defence agency, Mahmud Basal, said.
Israel's military said soldiers had shot at a gathering of thousands of Palestinians in northern Gaza who it claimed posed a threat, and it was aware of some casualties. But it said the numbers reported by officials in Gaza were far higher than its initial investigation found. It did not immediately comment on the incidents in the south.
Before the reports of the latest Israeli shootings emerged, Pope Leo XIV called for 'an immediate end to the barbarity of the war and for a peaceful resolution to the conflict' at the end of the Angelus prayer at Castel Gandolfo, his summer residence near Rome.
Update:
Date: 2025-07-21T06:48:19.000Z
Title: Opening summary
Content: Hello and welcome back to the Guardian's coverage of the Middle East.
Gaza's civil defence agency said at least 93 Palestinians had been killed queueing for food on Sunday, while Israel issued fresh evacuation orders for areas packed with displaced people.
The territory's health ministry said scores were killed by Israeli fire while waiting for UN aid trucks entering through the northern Zikim crossing with Israel. It was one of the highest reported death tolls among repeated recent cases in which aid seekers have been killed by Israeli fire.
Elsewhere nine others were reportedly shot dead near an aid point close to Rafah in the south, where dozens of people lost their lives just 24 hours earlier, while four were killed near another aid site in Khan Younis, spokesperson for the civil defence agency, Mahmud Basal, said.
The UN World Food Programme said its 25-truck convoy carrying food aid 'encountered massive crowds of hungry civilians which came under gunfire' near Gaza City, soon after it crossed from Israel and cleared checkpoints.
Israel's military disputed the death toll and said soldiers had fired warning shots 'to remove an immediate threat posed to them' as thousands gathered near Gaza City.
On Sunday morning, the Israeli military issued evacuation orders for the city of Deir al-Balah – a crowded part of central Gaza full of displaced Palestinian people with nowhere safe to flee relentless bombardments. Whole families were reportedly seen lugging their few belongings and heading south.
The UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said in a statement that the order had dealt 'yet another devastating blow to the already fragile lifelines keeping people alive across the Gaza Strip.'
In other developments:
Israeli foreign minister Gideon Saar on Sunday said he had ordered the withdrawal of a senior UN humanitarian official's residency permit, accusing him of spreading lies about the war in Gaza. Whittall, a South African who lives in Jerusalem and frequently visits the Gaza Strip, has repeatedly condemned the humanitarian conditions for the more than 2 million people living in the Palestinian territory.
Gaza's civil defence agency told Agence France-Presse (AFP) it has noted a rising number of infant deaths caused by 'severe hunger and malnutrition', reporting at least three such deaths in the past week. 'These heartbreaking cases were not caused by direct bombing but by starvation, the lack of baby formula and the absence of basic healthcare,' civil defence spokesperson Mahmud Bassal told AFP.
Tens of thousands of Moroccans demonstrated on Sunday in the capital Rabat against the dire humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, calling for the reversal of the kingdom's normalisation deal with Israel. Protesters gathered in the city centre, brandishing Palestinian flags and placards calling for the free flow of aid to the war-ravaged Palestinian territory.
Residents reported calm in Syria's Sweida on Sunday after the Islamist-led government announced that Bedouin fighters had withdrawn from the predominantly Druze city and a US envoy signalled that a deal to end days of fighting was being implemented. The ceasefire announced on Saturday appeared to be holding after earlier agreements failed to end fighting between longtime rivals the Druze and the Bedouin that spiralled to draw in the Islamist-led government, the Israeli military and armed tribes from other parts of Syria.
The death toll from violence in Sweida province, the heartland of Syria's Druze minority, has risen to 1,120 since last weekend, a war monitor said on Sunday. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the dead included 427 Druze fighters and 298 Druze civilians, 194 of whom were 'summarily executed by defence and interior ministry personnel'.
The first humanitarian aid convoy entered the southern Syrian city of Sweida on Sunday, a Red Crescent official said, a week after deadly sectarian violence erupted in the Druze heartland. The official said the convoy of 32 vehicles was carrying basics including food, medical and fuel supplies as well as body bags.
Iran confirmed on Monday fresh talks with European powers to be held on Friday in Istanbul, the country's state media reported, the first since the US attacked Iranian nuclear facilities a month ago. Iranian diplomats will meet counterparts from Britain, France and Germany, known as the E3, after the trio warned that sanctions could be reimposed on Tehran if it does return to the negotiating table over its nuclear programme.
Iranian authorities have urged residents to limit water consumption as the country grapples with severe shortages amid an ongoing heatwave, local media said on Sunday. Water scarcity is a major issue in Iran, particularly in arid provinces in the country's south, with shortages blamed on mismanagement and overexploitation of underground resources, as well as the growing impact of climate change.
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Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Freedom Flotilla activist ship crew are 'detained and questioned by Israeli authorities' after vessel arrives in Ashdod port
The Freedom Flotilla activist ship crew have been 'detained and questioned by Israeli authorities' after the vessel arrived in Ashdod port. It comes after the pro-Palestinian campaign group's boat heading towards Gaza was intercepted by Israeli forces on Saturday. A livestream broadcast by the organisation showed the soldiers taking control of the 'Handala' vessel. Meanwhile, the 21 activists onboard could be seen sitting on the ship's deck, holding their hands up and whistling the Italian anti-fascist song 'Bella Ciao'. The Handala had been on course to try to break an Israeli naval blockade of Gaza and bring a small quantity of humanitarian aid to the territory's Palestinian residents. An online tracking tool set up to plot the boat's path showed its position as around 30 miles from the Egyptian coast and roughly 60 miles west of Gaza when intercepted. Among its passengers is British citizen and ex-United Nations development officer, Chloe Ludden. And now, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) behind the vessel has given an update on its course. They have said the boat is now at the Israeli port of Ashdod, where the activists are consulting with their lawyers, who were there ready to meet them. Brazilian activist Thiago Avila, who was a passenger on the previous Freedom Flotilla, Madleen, posted the update clip to X on Sunday evening. The Madleen was similarly intercepted by the Israeli army in international waters on June 9 and also towed to Ashdod. It carried 12 campaigners on board, including prominent Swedish activist Greta Thunberg. These activists were eventually expelled by Israel. Reposted by the FFC, Mr Avila's post said: 'A quick and important update about the 21 people kidnapped by Israel on board the Handala a few hours ago. 'They arrived in Ashdod port and our team of lawyers from the Adalah Group [Palestinian-run legal centre in Israel] of Palestinians from 48 [Palestinians who had Israeli citizenship conferred on them after the 1948 war] are there to meet them. 'Our lawyers, they're experts on that, they were the ones who brought us home when we were kidnapped on the Madleen. 'And they are there waiting for them, trying to talk to them already. Reposted by the FFC, Mr Avila's post said: 'A quick and important update about the 21 people kidnapped by Israel on board the Handala [pictured departing Gallipoli Port in Italy on July 20] a few hours ago' 'And it's very important that we share this because we know how Israel works, how much they try to confuse people. 'They lie to people, they try to confuse their governments, the media and people everywhere. 'So, it's very important that we share and support this moment right now. 'It's very important that we share their SOS videos, that we share their call to actions for a hunger strike, to go to demonstrations, to take to the streets.' After the Israeli military intercepted the Handala on Saturday, the FFC posted to X: 'Before interception, the 21 crew made this statement: if attacked they will join the global hunger strike for Gaza.' Mr Avila continued: 'So many places are already organising demonstrations so here in London, we have a demonstration, I'm going to Bristol for another demonstration as well. 'In many, many countries, there are demonstrations coming out and it's very important that we support that. 'Right now, we are in a decisive moment. 'You remember on the Madleen that they probably are going to be taken to the Givon prison [in the city of Ramla, between West Jerusalem and Tel Aviv] and they're going to be separated and yes, usually it happens like this. 'And it's very important that we keep our eyes on that, visbility and safety, and that we mobilise. 'Echo the voices of the Palestinian people, expose the genocide, forced starvation, and mobilise.' Handala crew members have been interrogated by Israeli authorities, the Israel Broadcasting Authority has reported, and will be transferred to police. The Israeli Foreign Ministry has previously said attempts to break Israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip are dangerous, illegal and undercut humanitarian work. One of the Handala's passengers, American human rights defender Huwaida Arraf, has said she was released by Israeli authorities after refusing to sign a pledge not to return again. She has called for renewed attention to lifting the siege on Gaza, Al Jazeera reports. Some 11 other activists who were onboard the Handala reportedly remain detained by Israeli authorities - and it is said they have gone on hunger strike. Meanwhile, the FFC has said in a statement the boat had been 'violently intercepted' around 40 nautical miles from Gaza, with all crew detained and the cargo seized, France 24 reports. 'All cargo was non-military, civilian and intended for direct distribution to a population facing deliberate starvation and medical collapse under Israel's illegal blockade', the group added. Israel's Foreign Ministry posted on X early on Sunday morning: 'The Israeli navy has stopped the vessel Navarn [registry name of Handala] from illegally entering the maritime zone of the coast of Gaza. 'The vessel is safely making its way to the shores of Israel. All passengers are safe.' The passengers' lawyers, from legal centre Adalah, have said in a statement: 'The flotilla never entered Israeli territorial waters, nor was it intended to do so.' They continued: 'It was headed toward the territorial waters of the State of Palestine, as recognized under international law. 'Israel has no legal jurisdiction or authority over the international waters in which the vessel was sailing.' Adalah has demanded the immediate release of the passengers and disclosure of the activists' location and legal status. It comes after a seemingly pre-prepared video of British passenger Chloe Ludden was posted by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) on its X account late on Saturday night. Captioned, 'SOS! The crew on "Handala" have been kidnapped by Israeli Occupation forces', she says in the clip on the social media platform: 'Hello everyone. 'My name is Chloe Ludden, from the United Kingdom. If you are seeing this video, we have been intercepted at sea and I have been abducted by the Israeli occupation forces or forces of a country complicit in Israel's genocide of Palestinians. 'I appeal to my comrades, friends and family, to everyone, to please put pressure on the United Kingdom's government to demand my release and the release of everyone onboard the "Handala" as soon as possible. Thank you.' The post calls for followers to email and tag the British Foreign Office. In another message on social media, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition declared: '"Handala" has been intercepted and boarded illegally by Israeli forces whilst in international waters.' There was no immediate confirmation of the operation from the Israeli military. But earlier in the day it had announced it would enforce 'the legal maritime security blockade on the Gaza Strip'. Posts of a similar format to Ms Ludden's were made for each of the passengers on the Handala, which includes European politicians and two Al Jazeera journalists. It comes after the British national posted to her own X account on Tuesday: 'Currently on the Handala Flotilla sailing to Gaza after resigning from the UN. 'We must stop asking for permission to enter a death camp. I did not leave the United Nations to abandon its founding principles. I left to live them, to act on them. 'The UN Charter stands for the dignity, freedom, and security of all peoples. So why, when these very rights are being obliterated, do we still see no meaningful response? 'This is a genocide. That is not just rhetoric - it is supported by reports, testimonies, and lived reality. 'And yet, no real consequences have followed. My resignation is not an act of walking away. It is an act of stepping up. 'Because human dignity is not protected by procedures alone, but by personal and institutional courage. 'When we carry food and medicine to Palestinians in Gaza and are told to turn back, it's not just a failure of politics. It's a failure of our moral architecture. 'This flotilla is not a threat. And Gaza is not a "crisis" to be managed. Palestine is a mirror - reflecting both our humanity and the failure of our institutions to uphold it. 'To those still within the United Nations and other bodies: This responsibility is not only for activists, for those outside. You hold tools. You have a voice. 'Stop waiting for the perfect mandate to do what is already right. 'Neutrality in the face of mass death is not diplomacy. It is abandonment. Let Gaza live. Let the mirror change us.' Ms Ludden previously worked as a scientist for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the UN's body for the science around climate change. Two French MPs, Emma Fourreau and Gabrielle Cathala, were among those detained on the Handala on Saturday. Their party leader, Jean-Luc Melenchon of France Unbowed (LFI), condemned Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netayahu. 'Netanyahu's thugs boarded Handala. They attack 21 unarmed people in territorial waters where they have no right. 'A kidnapping in which two French parliamentarians are victims', he posted on X. Mr Melenchon demanded the French government take action. Thiago Avila, a Brazilian activist who had been onboard the last FFC boat sent to Gaza, the Madleen, posted about the Handala's interception late on Saturday evening. He said: 'The Handala has just been illegally intercepted by the Zionist entity of Israel while carrying baby formula to starving children.' Gaza is facing severe shortages of food and other essentials, with the UN and NGOs warning of an imminent famine. The Handala's crew said in a post on X they would go on a hunger strike if the Israeli army intercepted the boat and detained its passengers. The Madleen was intercepted by the Israeli army in international waters on June 9 and towed to the Israeli port of Ashdod. It carried 12 campaigners on board, including prominent Swedish activist Greta Thunberg. These activists were eventually expelled by Israel. The interception of the Handala comes after Israel 's military said air drops of aid will begin on Saturday night in Gaza and humanitarian corridors will be established for UN convoys. It has yet to outline when the corridors would open or where - but added it is prepared to implement humanitarian pauses in densely populated areas. Gaza's population of more than two million people is facing severe shortages of food and other essentials after some 21 months of war - particularly after Israel enacted a more than two-month-long blockade of the embattled Strip from March until May. Previously, the UN condemned Israel's 'weaponisation of food' in Gaza, labelling it a war crime. And on Monday, the UK, France and more than twenty other Western-aligned countries issued labelling Israel's operations 'unacceptable'. It comes after the UN's human rights office reported Israeli forces had killed more than 1,000 Palestinians trying to get food at aid distribution points since the US - and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) - started its operations in late May. GHF rejected the statistics, describing them as 'false and exaggerated statistics' from the UN. An anonymous Israeli security official claimed Hamas were responsible for fabricating 'cynical' reports of mass starvation in Gaza to The Times of Israel. Now, Sir Keir Starmer confirmed in a call with French and German counterparts the UK is working with Jordan on plans to air drop aid into Gaza and evacuate children needing medical assistance. In emergency talks held with Emmanuel Macron and Friedrich Merz on Saturday amid mounting global anger at the humanitarian conditions in Gaza, the leaders agreed it would be 'vital' to ensure 'robust plans' for an 'urgently-needed ceasefire'. 'The Prime Minister set out how the UK will also be taking forward plans to work with partners such as Jordan to air drop aid and evacuate children requiring medical assistance', a Downing Street spokesperson said. But the head of the UN's Palestinian refugee agency warned airdrops were 'a distraction and screensmoke' that would fail to reverse deepening starvation in Gaza, and could in some cases harm civilians. UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini said: 'A man-made hunger can only be addressed by political will. 'Lift the siege, open the gates and guarantee safe movements and dignified access to people in need.' Charities operating in Gaza have said Israel's blockade and ongoing military offensive are pushing people there towards starvation. They have warned they are seeing their own workers and Palestinians 'waste away'. Mr Lazzarini also said airdrops can be dangerous as they can fall on civilians and being able to drive aid through is more effective and safer. 'Airdrops will not reverse the deepening starvation. They are expensive, inefficient and can even kill starving civilians,' he said. 'It is a distraction and screen smoke.' No 10 said the leaders had committed to 'work closely together on a plan' to 'pave the way to a long-term solution and security in the region'. It added once proposals had been 'worked up', it will seek to advance them with other key partners. But Downing Street's recent statement made no mention of the issue of Palestinian statehood, after French President Mr Macron confirmed his country would do so in September. The Prime Minister has faced calls to immediately recognise Palestine's sovereignty, with around 221 MPs from across the political spectrum signing a letter pressuring the Government to follow suit at a UN meeting next week. It comes as Israeli airstrikes and gunshots killed at least 53 people on Friday night into Saturday, with most shot dead while seeking aid, according to Palestinian health officials and the local ambulance service. Israeli gunfire was reported twice within hours close to the Zikim crossing, and least a dozen people were killed while waiting for aid trucks in the first incident, staff at a Shifa hospital said. Israel's military said it fired warning shots to distance a crowd 'in response to an immediate threat' and it was not aware of any casualties. A witness, Sherif Abu Aisha, said people started running when they saw a light that they thought was from aid trucks. But as they neared, they realised it was Israel's tanks - and the army began to open fire, killing several people including his uncle, he said. 'We went because there is no food... and nothing was distributed', he said. Israeli forces also killed at least 11 people and wounded 120 others when they fired toward crowds who tried to get food from an entering UN convoy on Saturday evening. 'We are expecting the numbers to surge in the next few hours,' Dr. Mohamed Abu Selmiyah, director of Shifa hospital said. There was no immediate Israeli military comment. Elsewhere, those killed in strikes included four people in an apartment building in Gaza City, hospital staff and the ambulance service said. Another Israeli strike killed at least eight, including four children, in a crowded tent camp of Muwasi in the southern city of Khan Younis, according to the Nasser hospital. Elsewhere in Khan Younis, Israeli forces opened fire and killed at least nine people trying to get aid entering Gaza through the Morag corridor, according to the hospital's morgue records. Palestinian woman Warda Mattar feeds her newborn dates, instead of milk, amidst food scarcity and lack of milk, at a school where they shelter in Nuseirat in the central Gaza Strip February 25, 2024 More than 100 international aid organisations and human rights groups issued a joint letter blaming Israel for the deteriorating situation There was no immediate comment from Israel's military. Earlier this week, 111 aid agencies, including including Doctors Without Borders (MSF) and Oxfam signed an open letter warning of 'mass starvation' spreading in Gaza, as the population was 'wasting away'. 'With supplies now totally depleted, humanitarian organisations are witnessing their own colleagues and partners waste away before their eyes. 'The government of Israel's restrictions, delays, and fragmentation under its total siege have created chaos, starvation, and death', it read. The UN as well as experts have said Palestinians in Gaza are at risk of famine as children with no preexisting conditions have begun to starve to death. 'We only want enough food to end our hunger,' said Wael Shaaban at a charity kitchen in Gaza City as he tried to feed his family of six. The Israeli military says it is allowing aid into the enclave with no limit on the trucks entering. But the UN claims it has been hindered by military restrictions on movements as well as criminal looting. 'We only want enough food to end our hunger,' said Wael Shaaban at a charity kitchen in Gaza City as he tried to feed his family of six. Pictured: Internally displaced Palestinians gather in a charity kitchen to receive limited rations amid food shortages in Nuseirat Palestinian refugee camp in the Gaza Strip on July 26, 2025 The Gaza police force had previously provided security for aid delivery but it has been unable to operate after months of being Israeli airstrikes. Israel on Saturday said more than 250 trucks carrying aid from the UN and other organisations entered Gaza this week, with around 600 trucks entered per day during the latest ceasefire that Israel, which ended in March. 'Stand for Gaza, for silence is a crime, and indifference is a betrayal of humanity,' said Father Issa Thaljieh, a Greek Orthodox priest at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, as religious figures and the mayor called for prayers to end the war. More than 59,700 Palestinians have been killed during the war, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. Its count does not distinguish between militants and civilians but the ministry says more than half of the dead are women and children. The ministry operates under the Hamas government but the UN and other international organizations see it as the most reliable source of data on casualties. The Foreign Office has been contacted for comment. By Brendan Carlin for the Mail on Sunday The harrowing human face of the mounting humanitarian crisis in Gaza was laid bare last night. Palestinian children were pictured holding out empty pots in a desperate plea for food. They jostled with adults and other youngsters in an effort to get a share of donated food in a community kitchen in Gaza City. And inside a school sheltering displaced families, also in the region's capital, a mother was shown caring for her two disabled sons, aged four and six, who now faced what was said to be 'life-threatening severe malnutrition'. The graphic images emerged as Sir Keir Starmer appealed to Israel to allow more aid in over land and revealed the UK was 'working with Jordan to get aid into Gaza'. Separately, Irish singer and activist Bob Geldof accused Israeli authorities of 'lying' in saying that Hamas terrorists – not Israel – are responsible for the food shortages. Last week, an Israeli government spokesman said: 'In Gaza today, there's no famine caused by Israel – there is a man-made shortage, but it's been engineered by Hamas.' But in an interview to be broadcast on Sky News today, the Live Aid organiser said 'the Israeli authorities are lying'. He added: 'They're dangling food in front of starving, panicked, exhausted mothers.'
The Guardian
2 hours ago
- The Guardian
Sanction Israel and recognise Palestine: here are the steps Australia should take next on Gaza
The Albanese government has given its clearest statement yet on the legality of Israel's conduct in Gaza. Anthony Albanese told the ABC at the weekend that it was a breach of international law and a breach of humanity. Evidence of Israel's violations of international law has been compelling for some time. Examples include the indiscriminate targeting of the Palestinian population, a failure to apply the principle of distinction between Hamas and Gazan residents, and a breach of its Geneva convention obligations to provide food, medical supplies and aid to civilians. It is rare for an Australian prime minister to make such unambiguous statements on international law matters, especially with respect to the conduct of a friend such as Israel. These comments are the latest in a series of observations over the past year, whether they have taken the form of joint prime ministerial statements with Canada and New Zealand, or the statement issued on Friday which said: 'Gaza is in the grip of a humanitarian catastrophe. Israel's denial of aid and the killing of civilians, including children, seeking access to water and food cannot be defended or ignored.' The time has come for the Albanese government to do more than just issue statements decrying breaches of international law. Ample scope exists under Australian law to impose autonomous sanctions on Israel to make clear its objections to the ongoing Gaza conflict. On 10 June Australia joined Canada, New Zealand, Norway and the United Kingdom in sanctioning Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich for inciting violence against Palestinians in the West Bank. If those two Israeli ministers can be sanctioned for inciting serious abuses of Palestinian human rights, what further steps can be taken against Israeli ministers responsible for directing actions in direct violation of international law? Australia has imposed autonomous sanctions in relation to Russia in response to the 'Russian threat to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine'. There is no legal reason why similar sanctions cannot be approved with respect to Israel's threat to Palestine and Palestinians. Israel's conduct in Gaza has also placed the spotlight on Australia's position on the recognition of a Palestinian state. The prime minister also made clear at the weekend that Australia will not recognise Palestine while Hamas is in power in Gaza, and that Australia will not recognise Palestine as a 'gesture'. Nevertheless, President Emmanuel Macron's announcement that France will recognise Palestine at the September meeting of the United Nations general assembly will continue to place a spotlight on the Albanese government's response given the momentum towards Palestinian recognition over the past year. About 147 states now recognise Palestine. Those that do not are predominantly from Europe in addition to Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States. Four traditional criteria are applied to recognition of a new state. First, a defined territory. Palestine comprises the West Bank, Gaza and parts of Jerusalem. While those borders are well known they are contested by Israel. However, contested borders cannot be used as an effective block and many countries have disputed borders, as is evidenced by the conflict between Cambodia and Thailand. Second, there must be a permanent population which is satisfied by the Palestinian peoples who predominantly occupy Gaza, the West Bank and Jerusalem. Third, there must be a government which is met by the Palestinian Authority. While the PA may have limited capacity to control affairs in Gaza as that territory is under Israeli occupation an allowance can be made for that exceptional situation. Finally, there must be evidence of the ability to enter into international relations. That is occurring through the PA's engagement with UN institutions including the general assembly and the international criminal court, and through the many other states that recognise and engage with Palestine. That Palestine has yet to attain the formal status of a UN member is not determinative of its status. Switzerland only joined the UN in 2002 after a long period of remaining distant due to its desire to maintain neutrality. Any decision by the Albanese government to recognise Palestine would only come after cabinet endorsement. Unlike other decisions to recognise new states such as Timor-Leste or South Sudan, Australia's recognition of Palestine will generate fierce domestic political debate. Albanese has made clear that recognition of Palestine is conditional on Hamas having no ongoing role. Yet in the short term it remains improbable that Hamas will be completely removed from Gaza or as a force in Palestinian politics. Any recognition of Palestine by Australia could include a special condition which made clear it would not politically recognise an Hamas-led Palestinian government. This would be a break from Australian recognition policy towards new states but would acknowledge the exceptional nature of the Palestinian question and that Australia would not tolerate any form of Hamas Palestinian government. Anthony Albanese insists that Australian foreign policy is made in Canberra and not overseas. However, with respect to both sanctioning Israel over Gaza and eventually recognising Palestine there is every prospect that Australia will seek to avoid any Trump administration fallout in the form of increased unilateral tariffs on Australian exports. Donald Rothwell is a professor of international law at the Australian National University
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
STEPHEN GLOVER: Starmer is right to reject demands to recognise a Palestinian state. But how long can this master of the U-turn hold firm?
When the Prime Minister meets Donald Trump in Scotland today they will have many more pressing matters to discuss than the American President's golf swing. Gaza faces the prospect of mass starvation. The decision of Israel 's government on Saturday night to let in limited humanitarian aid will provide some relief but the crisis certainly hasn't passed.
