Jordon Steele-John (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

It brings me incredible sadness to speak to our parliament today and to, yet again, call on the Australian government to take action to hold the State of Israel to account for their ongoing genocide in Gaza. Since the apparent breakdown of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza, the State of Israel has launched a series of devastating attacks on civilians, hospitals and journalists. There are countless examples of the State of Israel breaching international humanitarian law.

In the last few weeks we have seen the passage of aid into Gaza being blocked once again, and we have seen the deaths of hundreds of adults and children. Hospitals, including the Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital and the Nasser Hospital, have faced bombardment. Statements from healthcare workers on the ground at the Nasser Hospital are devastating. The level of both trauma and injury, and the scenes of sheer inhumanity can never be justified. Human Rights Watch have shared that their witnesses at three hospitals in Gaza have described that the State of Israel's military forces have denied electricity, food, water and medicines, and that they have mistreated health workers and deliberately destroyed medical facilities.

I would like to use some of the time here today to share with the Senate the experience of Dr Mohammed Mustafa. Dr Mustafa is from Perth, and he is currently in Gaza working in the Baptist hospital as a volunteer with the Palestinian Australian New Zealand Medical Association. In statements in the last few days he has described the situation as 'catastrophic'. He has shared that 'it seems like we have been cut off from the world', and, as Dr Mustafa described the situation—the lack of medicine, the lack of ventilators and the impact of bombardment on children—he called on the Australian government to do something.

Meanwhile, the Australian government has failed to take significant action. Human Rights Watch have called out the lack of political and diplomatic pressure. It is clear that the Australian government is not doing all it can to prevent further atrocities. Amnesty International Australia has called on the Australian government to 'exert pressure on the Israeli government to immediately end its renewed bombardment of the Gaza Strip' by putting an end to military coordination and to work to 'restore the flow of humanitarian aid, guarantee unrestricted access to food and medicine, and rebuild Gaza's decimated health and sanitation infrastructure.' What is clear is that Australia is not a helpless bystander. We have the power and we should be using it.

The Greens are a party of peace, and my colleagues and I continue to call for an immediate, permanent and unconditional ceasefire, and an end to the genocide and the occupation—and, yes, for the release of all hostages and political prisoners. Along with human rights experts, I urge the Senate to take action today. We must work to rectify the injustice we see in ways that enable both Palestinians and Israelis to live in peace, security and equality in line with international law.