The leaders of Australia, Canada and New Zealand issued a joint statement calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
Anthony Albanese, along with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, issued a joint statement on Friday afternoon.
“The situation in Gaza is catastrophic,” the statement said.
“Human suffering is unacceptable. This cannot continue.'
The trio said they remain “unequivocal” in their condemnation of Hamas for “the atrocities of October 7 and the ongoing acts of terrorism.”
They say Hamas should “lay down its arms” and release all hostages, while the three leaders say Hamas has “no role” in the future governance of Gaza.
Palestinian health authorities recently said that Israel's ongoing ground and air campaign in Gaza since last October has killed more than 39,000 people.
Most of the dead are believed to be civilians, with 2.3 million residents driven from their homes and shelters.
Mr. Albanese, Mr. Luxon and Mr. Trudeau are urging Israel to “listen to the concerns of the international community.”
“The protection of the civilian population is of paramount importance and is a requirement of international humanitarian law,” the statement said.
“It is impossible to make Palestinian civilians pay the price of victory over Hamas. This has to end.
“An immediate ceasefire is desperately needed.
“Civilians must be protected and a continued increase in the flow of aid across Gaza is needed to address the humanitarian situation.”
The war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas militants crossed the border into Israeli communities and killed 1,200 people and captured 253 local residents in Gaza.
The statement by the leader of Australia, New Zealand and Canada came after US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris pushed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to agree to a ceasefire.
United States leaders met with Mr Netanyahu on Thursday at the White House, where Mr Biden reportedly told the Israeli leader to “compromise” for peace.
We fully support the comprehensive cease-fire agreement outlined by President Biden and approved by the UN Security Council,” Mr. Albanese, Mr. Trudeau and Mr. Luxon said in a statement.
“We call on the parties to the conflict to agree to a deal. Any delay will only result in the loss of new lives.
“We are committed to working on an irreversible path to a two-state solution where Israelis and Palestinians can live safely within internationally recognized borders.”
The trio said it was the only “realistic” option for achieving peace.
They called on Israel to respond to the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice and ensure accountability for the continuing acts of violence against the Palestinian people by extremist settlers, halt the record expansion of settlements in the West Bank that are illegal under international law, and work towards a two-state solution.
They said they were “gravely concerned” by the prospect of further escalation across the region.
“We condemn Iran's attack on Israel on April 13-14, call on Iran to refrain from further destabilizing actions in the Middle East, and demand that Iran and its affiliated groups, including Hezbollah, stop their attacks,” they said.
“We also condemn the continued reckless actions of the Houthis, including their indiscriminate drone attack on Tel Aviv and their ongoing attacks on international shipping.”
The trio said they were “particularly concerned” by the escalation of fighting between the Hezbollah terror group and Israel, which has displaced thousands of Israelis.
“This escalation of hostilities only makes a ceasefire in Gaza more urgent,” they said.
“We call on all interested parties to exercise restraint and de-escalation. We support diplomatic efforts to implement UN Security Council Resolution 1701.
“A full-scale war would have catastrophic consequences for Israel and Lebanon, as well as for civilians throughout the region.”
