Gaza War: Australian foreign minister begins Middle East tour, calls for ‘sustainable ceasefire’

As she headed out for a tour of the Middle East that included visits to the occupied West Bank and meetings with the families of Israeli captives, Australia’s foreign minister appealed on Monday for a “sustainable ceasefire” in Gaza.

Penny Wong declared that she would push for a two-state solution as a means of resolving the current conflict and a sustainable peace during her trips to Jordan, Israel, the West Bank, and the United Arab Emirates.

She also stated that Australia would use its influence to call for increased protection of people, humanitarian aid, and a reduction in regional tensions.

“Our position is that we want to see a sustainable ceasefire and that we see an international humanitarian, immediate humanitarian ceasefire as a step towards that,” Wong said at a news conference ahead of her departure.

“No ceasefire can be one sided and no ceasefire can be unconditional.”

In a rare break from its partner, the United States, Australia supported a UN resolution in December calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.

Wong will meet government representatives, relatives of hostages, and survivors of the October 7 attack—which, according to Israel, claimed the lives of over 1,200 people—during her first visit to Israel.

Australia supports Israel’s right to protect itself in response to “terrorism” but “the way it does so, matters,” Wong said in a statement that also called for the unconditional release of all hostages.

Wong will next go to Jordan and then to the West Bank, where she will meet with locals who have been impacted by aggressive action from Israeli settlers. According to international law, Australia views settlements as unlawful.

(With agency inputs)