Sally Sitou (Reid, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It has been more than six months since the horrific 7 October attacks committed by the terrorist organisation Hamas. It has been six months of pain, despair and anxiety for the families of the Israeli hostages who remain in captivity. The uncertainty and fear of not knowing the fate of their loved ones must be gut-wrenching. And it has been six months of unconscionable human suffering in Gaza. Innocent civilians stuck in Gaza are being denied access to food, water and basic medicines. It is clear that what is happening there is a humanitarian catastrophe of unbelievable proportions. Recent reports suggest that around 30,000 Palestinians have lost their lives, with more than 11,000 of them children. The World Bank estimates that half of the 2.3 million people in Gaza are at risk of famine. A BBC analysis suggests that between 50 to 60 per cent of the buildings across the Gaza Strip have been damaged or destroyed.

The destruction of Gaza, will haunt our collective humanity and it must end. Every country has a right and an obligation to defend its people, but the protection of civilian lives and the respect for international law must be upheld. The Australian government has joined other countries around the world to vote at the United Nations, calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. We see that as a critical and urgent step on the path to a permanent ceasefire. We will continue to be part of the international diplomatic efforts to bring this conflict to an end, because no-one wins in this conflict. The people who are paying the heaviest price are not Hamas; it's the innocent Palestinian civilians who are the tragic victims in this conflict.

It is right that Israel seeks to retrieve the hostages taken by Hamas terrorists, and it is true that Hamas has no regard for the civilian casualties in the way it embeds itself. The way this conflict is conducted matters more than ever. A ground offensive in Rafah, home to 1.7 million Palestinians taking refuge, would be catastrophic. It must not happen. There are increasingly few safe spaces for people in Gaza to go to. It is inconceivable then for Israel to attack this area. With the humanitarian situation in Gaza already dire, bombing Rafah would make a catastrophic situation even worse. As the foreign minister has already said to the Israeli government, do not go down this path.

Australia's influence in the region is not as a central player, but as a respected voice we continue to use our influence to advocate for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire and the return of hostages. I'm pleased we have restored funding to UNRWA, an organisation that provides incredibly important humanitarian assistance to the entire region. They have taken allegations against some of their employees seriously and have acted swiftly to remove those staff and to investigate the allegations. The Australian government will continue to use our voice to advocate for urgent humanitarian assistance to reach Palestinians in Gaza and to address the refugee crisis in the region.

In March the Minister for Foreign Affairs announced Australia would aid Jordan and the United Arab Emirates in their efforts to provide vital humanitarian support to civilians in Gaza. This includes the deployment of a Royal Australian Air Force Globemaster to assist with humanitarian air drops, an additional $4 million to UNICEF and $2 million to the United Nations Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator. These contributions take Australia's total humanitarian aid for the current conflict to $52.5 million, on top of the $20.6 million already allocated to UNRWA as part of Australia's core funding for this financial year.

But, for this aid to help people, it must be allowed in. There is an enormous humanitarian need in Gaza right now. We are faced with reports of imminent famine. Despite the international community saying that aid will make a difference, it is clear that not enough food, water and basic medicines are getting into the territory. Israel must let more humanitarian aid through. It would be unconscionable not to.