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Human rights

Australia Joins International Partners in Condemning Israeli Actions in Gaza

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Australia has joined 28 international partners in signing a joint statement demanding Israel complies with its obligations under international humanitarian law, citing the "inhumane killing" of civilians in Gaza. The statement comes as the Israeli government's aid delivery model has been deemed "dangerous" and "fuels instability" by the United Nations, leading to widespread suffering and death among the Palestinian population.

Key Takeaways:

  • Over 800 Palestinians have been killed while seeking aid in Gaza, with another 4,000 injured.
  • The Israeli government's aid delivery model has been deemed "inherently unsafe" by the UN, with near-daily shootings occurring since the militarised aid hubs began operating.
  • Malnourished Palestinians are trekking long distances to reach the small number of distribution sites, with 19 Palestinians starving to death in recent days.
  • The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has handed out millions of meals since it began operating in the strip in May, but the distribution model has been rejected by Jewish Physicians for Human Rights.
  • More than 170 humanitarian groups have called for the food hubs to be shut down due to the complicity in war crimes and the risk of further harm to civilians.
  • Analysts believe Israel's starvation strategy constitutes a dangerous weakening of international law and disrupts norms aimed at preventing hunger being used as a weapon of war.

Statistics:

  • 875 Gazans have been killed and 4,000 injured while seeking food since the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation began operating in late May.
  • 19 Palestinians have starved to death in recent days.
  • Over 90,000 women and children require urgent treatment for malnutrition.
  • 1,600 trucks entered Gaza between May 19 and July 14, well below the 630 trucks needed every day to feed the population.

Sources:

  • "Suffering in Gaza reaches 'new depths' -- Australia condemns 'inhumane killing' of Palestinians" by Amra Lee, The Conversation
  • United Nations report on the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation
  • Human Rights Watch report on the use of starvation as a weapon of war
  • Jewish Physicians for Human Rights statement rejecting the aid's "humanitarian" characterisation

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