Yesterday marked 600 days of conflict in the Israel‑Hamas war. After months under siege and brutal blockade, Gaza is now on the brink of mass starvation. The United Nations has warned that 14,000 babies could die if food and medical aid does not reach them in time. Where hundreds of aid trucks once entered each day, now only a handful are allowed. People are dying from hunger and treatable illness. Just yesterday, four people died—two crushed and two shot—after thousands of starving Palestinians stormed a United Nations World Food Programme warehouse in a desperate attempt to eat.
Constituents in Leppington have contacted my office to express their distress over the worsening humanitarian crisis and to call for peace and stronger action to ensure aid reaches those who desperately need it. Their concerns reflect a growing sense among Australians that we must stand firmly for human rights and the protection of civilians. I voice my full support for the Australian Government's decision last week to join 23 other nations in issuing a joint statement calling for the immediate and unrestricted flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza. The statement condemns the politicisation of aid and demands its immediate, impartial and full resumption. It also firmly rejects Israel's proposal to place aid distribution under military control—a model that undermines the neutrality of humanitarian work and endangers those risking their lives to help others.
This is not just a matter of foreign policy; it is a test of our national values and our moral responsibility to the global community. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese made a clear statement. He said:
Israel's actions are completely unacceptable
...
People are starving. The idea that a democratic state withholds supply is an outrage.
I note that some of our international partners, including France, Canada and the United Kingdom, have gone further by raising the prospect of targeted sanctions against Israel. Those calls for stronger action are also echoed at home by prominent members in the labour movement. Federal MP Ed Husic recently remarked:
I think we should be actively considering … drawing up a list of targeted sanctions where we can join with others … we should be ready to move when others move as well.
Former foreign Ministers Gareth Evans and Bob Carr have also backed sanctions. Bob Carr put it plainly, saying, "This is a war on children." Tragically, the numbers support that statement. The majority of those killed are women and children. Labor Friends of Palestine spokesperson Peter Moss recently told The Guardian that since October 2023, numerous motions have been passed across the party supporting sanctions and the formal recognition of a Palestinian state. Those views reflect the base of our party and the broader expectations of the public.
This is not about taking sides. It is about standing up for international law. It is about affirming that civilian lives matter and that peace matters. That is why the upcoming United Nations international conference in June is so important. It is a pivotal opportunity to recommit the world to the two‑state solution and take real steps towards its realisation. Last week diplomats gathered at the United Nations headquarters in New York to prepare for this high-level summit. As United Nations General Assembly President Philémon Yang said:
This conflict cannot be resolved through permanent war, nor through endless occupation or annexation. It will only end when Israelis and Palestinians can live side by side in their own sovereign, independent States, in peace, security, and dignity.
In a speech on the floor of the General Assembly this week, Australia's ambassador to the United Nations, James Larsen, said:
A two-state solution—a Palestinian state alongside the State of Israel—is the only hope of breaking the endless cycle of violence, and the only hope of a just and enduring peace, for Israelis and Palestinians alike.
This conference must be a turning point. Since the Nakba in 1948 and the founding of Israel, it has been estimated that 180,000 lives have been lost on all sides. Nearly a third of those lives were lost since 7 October 2023. Israel must lift the blockade, reopen the crossings and allow humanitarian aid to reach those in desperate need. Hamas must release all hostages and ensure that aid can be delivered safely and without obstruction. I call on the Australian Government to build on the leadership it has shown in recent weeks and stand with many in the international community in formally recognising the state of Palestine as part of a genuine two‑state solution. That is consistent with the Australian Labor Party's national platform. Enough is enough. Peace should be coming.
