On Tuesday, Australia joined with 27 countries including Canada, Denmark, France, Ireland, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK to condemn Israel for the deaths of hundreds of Palestinians seeking aid. The countries also demanded an end to restrictions on food and medical supplies. A ceasefire was needed now.

“The suffering of civilians in Gaza has reached new depths. The Israeli government’s aid delivery model is dangerous, fuels instability and deprives Gazans of human dignity,” the nations said.

Palestinians gather to collect aid from a distribution point in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza, on Sunday.Credit: Bloomberg

Australia’s Home Affairs Minister, Tony Burke, went further. Many of Israel’s actions were “indefensible”. Burke said on ABC radio: “We’re all hoping that there’ll be something that’ll break this. We’ve seen too many images of children being killed, of horrific slaughter, of churches being bombed.”

The statement also called for the release of Israeli hostages “cruelly held captive by Hamas since 7 October 2023 [who] continue to suffer........

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