Australian PM denounces Israeli actions in Gaza

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanense condemned the escalating humanitarian emergency in the Gaza Strip on the 13th August, according to AL24 News.

In conversation with ABC, Albanese noted that Israel’s March decision to limit the entry of humanitarian provisions has directly played a part in the present crisis, stressing that these actions contradict international law.

When asked about whether Israel’s actions in Gaza – which includes the recent airstrikes targeting ‘humanitarian corridors’ –  amounted to a war crime, Albanese said that the starvation was not “consistent with international law.” He said that in spite of media restrictions and censorship, the international community is seeing on TV the extreme turmoil, hunger and deaths in Gaza. He added: “In 2025, that’s completely unacceptable.”

But Albanese has also acknowledged the alliance between his country and Israel. He has said: “Ever since the atrocities perpetrated by Hamas on the 7th of October 2023, Australia has stood with the people of Israel and our partners and allies around the world in calling for the release of the hostages.”

Nevertheless, the focus on Israel’s accountability comes after a wider pendulum swing away from Israel and Prime Minister Netanyahu from the global West, with countries like France, the UK and Canada all recalibrating their positions on Israel amidst mounting humanitarian pressure.

Albanese reiterated on August 12th that Israeli actions in Gaza have furthered the deaths of innocent civilians and have brought displacement and violence. He also declared on August 11th that Australia will officially recognise a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly in September, joining a growing contingent of countries.

This decision is conditional upon commitments from the Palestinian Authority, including the establishment of a demilitarised state,  the exclusion of Hamas from state leadership and elections being held for the Palestinian administration.

With multinational organisations like the UN consistently criticising Israel’s military actions and aid restrictions, momentum is growing for a ceasefire and accountability measures. All the while, aid agencies report that shortages of food, medicine and clean water have reached catastrophic levels.

Al24 News, Maghrebi.org