Hani Abu Jamea, a Palestinian from Khan Yunis, follows his father who is carrying the wrapped body of his daughter Sidal who died overnight while sleeping in a tent from a shrapnel fragment that hit her in the head following Israeli bombardment on a nearby position, in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on December 12, 2023. (Photo by MOHAMMED ABED / AFP)
Wellington, New Zealand 鈥斅燭he leaders of Australia, Canada and New Zealand on Wednesday warned Israel that efforts to destroy Hamas cannot spell 鈥渃ontinuous suffering鈥� for Palestinian civilians and issued a renewed call for a ceasefire.
In a rare joint statement, prime ministers Anthony Albanese, Justin Trudeau and Christopher Luxon defended Israel鈥檚 right to go after Palestinian militant group Hamas in retaliation for October 7 raids that killed more than 1,200 people inside Israel.
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But the trio warned their Israeli allies that civilians should be better protected.
鈥淲e are alarmed at the diminishing safe space for civilians in Gaza,鈥� the three said. 鈥淭he price of defeating Hamas cannot be the continuous suffering of all Palestinian civilians.鈥�
Israel is facing growing international pressure to rethink an invasion and air assault of Gaza that is believed to have killed many thousands and left a swathe of the Palestinian territory in rubble.
On Tuesday, the UN General Assembly voted overwhelmingly in favor of a renewed Gaza ceasefire and Israel鈥檚 chief ally, the United States, heaped pressure on the country鈥檚 leadership to change tack.
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President Joe Biden on Tuesday said that Israel still had some international support for the aims of its two-month-old war, but also issued a stark warning.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e starting to lose that support by the indiscriminate bombing that takes place鈥� he said, urging Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to find a long-term solution to the conflict.
Israel鈥檚 leaders have steadfastly refused to consider a long-term ceasefire in Gaza, unless hostages taken by Hamas in the October 7 raids are freed.
But some in Israel鈥檚 government have admitted the 鈥渨indow of legitimacy鈥� for the operation may be closing.
Arab and Muslim states have been roundly critical of the invasion and international aid agencies have called the situation a humanitarian disaster.
Albanese, Trudeau and Luxon backed calls for a renewed pause in fighting and the release of more hostages.
鈥淲e want to see this pause resumed and support urgent international efforts towards a sustainable ceasefire,鈥� they said.
鈥淭his cannot be one-sided鈥amas must release all hostages, stop using Palestinian civilians as human shields, and lay down its arms.鈥�