Albanese calls for Gaza ceasefire in joint statement with NZ and Canada PMs.

Extract from The Guardian 

Australia news

The statement says the leaders are ‘alarmed at the diminishing safe space for civilians in Gaza’

Australian Associated Press

Wed 13 Dec 2023 06.39 AEDT

The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has signed a statement alongside his New Zealand and Canadian counterparts calling for a sustainable ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and an end to the “continuous suffering” of its citizens.

“We are alarmed at the diminishing safe space for civilians in Gaza,” the statement released on Wednesday said, as the Israeli bombardment of Hamas militants in the enclave continues.

“The price of defeating Hamas cannot be the continuous suffering of all Palestinian civilians,” the leaders said.

Health authorities in the Hamas-run Gaza say the death toll from Israel’s offensive has passed 18,000.

Albanese, New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Luxon and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also said any ceasefire “cannot be one-sided”.

“Hamas must release all hostages, stop using Palestinian civilians as human shields and lay down its arms,” they said.

The three leaders condemned “Hamas’ unacceptable treatment of hostages” and called for the immediate and unconditional release of the captives.

The Australian and Canadian governments both consider Hamas a terrorist organisation while New Zealand authorities have designated the entity’s military wing a terrorist group.

The joint statement condemned Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7 and the “heinous acts of violence perpetrated in those attacks, including sexual violence”, after militants killed 1200 people and took more than 200 hostages.

The three governments recognised Israel’s right to defend itself.

“In defending itself, Israel must respect international humanitarian law,” they added.

There was also “no role for Hamas in the future governance of Gaza”, the leaders said while opposing “the forcible displacement of Palestinians from Gaza, the re-occupation of Gaza, any reduction in territory and any use of siege or blockade” and backed a two-state solution.

The foreign minister, Penny Wong, is expected to visit Israel and other countries in the Middle East in January.

The 193-member United Nations General Assembly was due to vote to demand an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the conflict on Wednesday after the United States vetoed such a move in the Security Council.