Key Points
- The prime ministers of Australia, Canada and New Zealand warned an Israeli assault on Rafah would be "catastrophic".
- 1.5 million people are taking refuge in the border city after Israel forced them to seek shelter there.
- The leaders cited international humanitarian law, which obligates Israel to protect civilians.
A joint statement from the prime ministers of Australia, Canada and New Zealand has called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and expressed "grave concerns" about an Israeli ground invasion of Rafah, the enclave’s southernmost city, where about 1.5 million people are .
The statement, released on Thursday and co-signed by Anthony Albanese, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, follows reports that Israel is planning to launch a military ground operation in Rafah as part of its ongoing attempt to eradicate Hamas.
The world leaders collectively , noting: "There is simply nowhere else for civilians to go."
"A military operation into Rafah would be catastrophic. About 1.5 million Palestinians are taking refuge in the area, including many of our citizens and their families," the statement read.
"With the humanitarian situation in Gaza already dire, the impacts on Palestinian civilians from an expanded military operation would be devastating. We urge the Israeli government not to go down this path."
Albanese, Trudeau and Luxon further called on Israel to listen to the growing international consensus around the conflict, and highlighted the need for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, the release of hostages, and the "rapid, safe and unimpeded" provision of humanitarian relief to civilians in Gaza.
"The protection of civilians is paramount and a requirement under international humanitarian law. Palestinian civilians cannot be made to pay the price of defeating Hamas," the statement said.
"The International Court of Justice has been clear: Israel must ensure the delivery of basic services and essential humanitarian assistance and must protect civilians," it added. "The are binding."
Gaza ceasefire must not be 'one-sided'
The world leaders elaborated that the ceasefire could not be "one-sided", and would need to involve Hamas also laying down its arms, which would allow for political negotiations that might achieve "lasting peace and security".
"Australia, Canada, and New Zealand remain steadfast in their, including the creation of a Palestinian state alongside Israel, where Palestinians and Israelis live side by side in peace, security, and dignity", the statement concluded.
Rafah has already been the target of Israeli bombing and its military is warning it will intensify its assault on the town. Source: Getty / Anadolu
"Words are not enough," APAN said in a statement provided to SBS News.
"APAN supports the government’s urgent call for an immediate ceasefire and expects it to follow through with concrete actions to ensure Israel knows there will be consequences for its violations of international law."
Calls to resume humanitarian funding
APAN further called on the Australian government to resume humanitarian funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), after Israeli authorities accused members of the agency of supporting the October 7 attacks, and to "issue a clear and unambiguous statement of public support for the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling, which declared there was a plausible case of genocide for Israel to answer to in Gaza, and orders for the state to take all possible measures to prevent this genocide".
"Australia must also clearly condemn the Israeli Government for its defiance and violations of international law and impose sanctions against Israeli ministers and officials who have incited genocide and championed plans for illegal settlements in Gaza," APAN added, suggesting that the government "cut ties with Israel to pressure it into compliance.”
, with Tal Becker, a lawyer representing Israel at the ICJ saying last month: "Israel is in a war of defence against Hamas, not against the Palestinian people."
"In these circumstances, there can hardly be a charge more false and more malevolent than the allegation against Israel of genocide."
Inquiry into UNRWA staff involvement in 7 October attacks
On Thursday, a Senate hearing was told an inquiry into UNRWA staff involvement in the 7 October attacks found while an initial report said 30 agency staff had been involved, less than half of that number were staff.
"Some of the people that are involved in some of the alleged acts are employees, but often significant numbers of people are not and so it sort of gets a little bit blurred," Marc Innes-Brown, assistant secretary with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's Middle East branch said.
Australia has been advised two people were fired and further investigations by the UN were taking place into about 10 employees, he added. There was no evidence against three others.
While echoing APAN's concerns for the safety of civilians, the Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ) meanwhile said that in order to prevent an Israeli assault on Rafah the international community should be collectively calling for Hamas' surrender. The joint statement from Australia, Canada and New Zealand, ECAJ added, failed to suggest how this might be achieved.
"We share the concerns for civilians contained in the statement and echo the call for Hamas to surrender and release the hostages. However, the statement proposes no mechanism to achieve any of this," ECAJ co-CEO Alex Ryvchin said in a statement.
“Hamas has rejected any ceasefire proposals that would see it relinquish power or disarm. It steadfastly refuses to surrender or release the hostages. In order to avoid a devastating battle for Rafah the international community should with one voice call for Hamas to surrender and end this war.
“Until it does so, Israel has the right and the duty to defeat Hamas by force and extract its citizens from the clutches of an inhuman enemy.”
Proposal for truce with Israel in Gaza
Hamas last week submitted a proposal to mediators in Qatar in which it outlined plans for a truce with Israel in Gaza.
The peace proposal suggested a three-stage truce process - each stage lasting 45 days - which would see all Israeli hostages released in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from all parts of Gaza.
Israel would also be required to resume humanitarian aid and facilitate the full reconstruction of destroyed houses, public facilities and other economic infrastructure in Gaza within three years.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected the proposal, calling it "delusional" and declaring: "continued military pressure is a necessary condition for the release of the hostages."
A team leader for the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has said there is no safe space in Gaza for people to go to. Source: Getty / NurPhoto
Days earlier, Guterres warned that an Israeli attack on Rafah would "exponentially increase what is already a humanitarian nightmare with untold regional consequences".
"Half of Gaza’s population is now crammed into Rafah with nowhere to go," Guterres wrote on X, formerly Twitter. "Reports that the Israeli military intends to focus next on Rafah are alarming."
- With additional reporting from AAP
