Australia, Canada, New Zealand urge pause in Gaza hostilities
BNN Bloomberg
The prime ministers of Australia, Canada and New Zealand have called for a renewed pause in hostilities in Gaza and urgent international efforts to secure a sustainable ceasefire.
In a joint statement Wednesday, Anthony Albanese, Justin Trudeau and Christopher Luxon said they are deeply concerned by the scale of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and ongoing risks to all Palestinian civilians. Safe and unimpeded humanitarian access must be increased and sustained, they said.
“We recognize Israel’s right to exist and right to defend itself. In defending itself, Israel must respect international humanitarian law,” the prime ministers said. “We are alarmed at the diminishing safe space for civilians in Gaza. The price of defeating Hamas cannot be the continuous suffering of all Palestinian civilians.”
The comments come after U.S. President Joe Biden warned that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing government risks eroding international support for his nation’s military campaign against Hamas by refusing to endorse a two-state solution for Palestinians.