Australia has urged Israel to abandon plans to take military control of Gaza, warning that such a move would deepen the humanitarian crisis in the territory.
“Australia calls on Israel to not go down this path, which will only worsen the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza,” Foreign Minister Penny Wong said in a statement on Friday. She stressed that permanent forced displacement would violate international law and renewed calls for a ceasefire, unrestricted humanitarian aid, and the release of hostages held by Hamas since October 2023.
Wong reiterated Australia’s support for a two-state solution as “the only pathway to secure an enduring peace, a Palestinian state and the State of Israel, living side-by-side in peace and security within internationally-recognised borders.”
Her remarks follow Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s comments in a Fox News interview that Israel intends to assume full military control of Gaza before eventually handing governance to unspecified Arab forces.
On Friday, Netanyahu’s office confirmed that the Israeli security cabinet had approved a plan to take over Gaza City, with the Israel Defense Forces tasked with preparing for the operation while providing humanitarian aid outside combat zones.
While Australia has yet to join allies such as the U.K., Canada, and France in recognising Palestinian statehood, Wong said Canberra would make that decision “at an appropriate time.”
In recent months, Australia has intensified its criticism of Israel’s conduct in the war, particularly regarding civilian casualties and humanitarian access.
Written By Rodney Mbua
