Sussan Ley admits there is starvation in Gaza after previously avoiding the question

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7 hours ago

Opposition Leader Sussan Ley has admitted "there is hunger and starvation in Gaza", a week after she repeatedly refused to answer the question directly.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese declared it was "beyond comprehension" for Israel to claim starvation was not an issue in Gaza last week, after accusing the country of breaching international law by withholding aid.
That prompted demands from the Coalition to "produce the facts", challenging Mr Albanese's assertion.
Asked multiple times last week whether she believed there was starvation within Gaza, Ms Ley would not answer directly, instead saying she was "incredibly distressed by the images" and that it was a "complex situation".
On Monday, however, she took a stronger stance, telling reporters: "There is hunger and starvation in Gaza and it needs to be addressed and I'm pleased to see the Israeli government is doing exactly that."
"But what also needs to happen is for Hamas, the terrorist organisation who is in control of the Gaza Strip, to surrender, release the hostages, and surrender."
Last week, Liberal frontbencher Dan Tehan demanded Mr Albanese provide evidence for his assertion that Israel had breached international law, saying the claim shouldn't be made lightly.
"Obviously, Israel are trying to provide humanitarian relief into Gaza, Hamas keeps on trying to disrupt those efforts," he said.
"In my view, they are the sole responsible actor here for the situation we find ourselves in."
Others in the opposition struck a different tone, with Liberal senator Dave Sharma telling the ABC later that day that there was "overwhelming" evidence of malnutrition and food shortages.
"Who is to blame, and how much is Hamas commandeering supplies? People can have those arguments and discussions, but I don't think the Gazan civilian population should be held hostage because of those discussions," he said.
Israel imposed a total blockade on humanitarian aid in March that ran for several months, as it tried to pressure Hamas to release Israeli hostages.
A slew of international humanitarian organisations have since warned that Gaza was on the brink of "mass starvation", with images of malnourished children in the strip galvanising responses from leaders and citizens around the world.
Israel has consistently rejected allegations it has fuelled a hunger crisis in Gaza, instead blaming Hamas and claiming the listed terror group has weaponised humanitarian aid to supply its fighters.
Earlier on Monday, before Ms Ley's comments, Liberal senator Maria Kovacic said the Coalition was in favour of "supporting people in Palestine who need food".
"There are children there that are starving and that is something that is important that food and aid gets in," she told Sky News.
The government is meanwhile weighing when to recognise Palestinian statehood, with senior ministers flagging that such a declaration is a matter of timing.
France, the United Kingdom and Canada say they will recognise a Palestinian state at the next United Nations General Assembly in September, provided several conditions are met, including that Hamas plays no role in Palestine's governance.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong last week did not rule out Australia making a similar statement, flagging that it was "something we are thinking very carefully about".
"We cannot continue to stand by and watch what is happening in Gaza and not take the sorts of actions you are seeing," she said.
"We have to see we can do as an international community to change the pathway that the region is on."