Minister, I want to go to the people who are stuck in Gaza. I know you gave a broad overview of the 79 Australian citizens that are stuck in Gaza. Obviously, it is difficult. But there are also Australian permanent residents in Gaza and families of Australian citizens and permanent residents in Gaza who might want to leave. Do you know how many Australian permanent residents government is seeking to help leave Gaza?
Senator FARUQI: Good morning, everyone. Minister, I want to go to the people who are stuck in Gaza. I know you gave a broad overview of the 79 Australian citizens that are stuck in Gaza. Obviously, it is difficult. But there are also Australian permanent residents in Gaza and families of Australian citizens and permanent residents in Gaza who might want to leave. Do you know how many Australian permanent residents government is seeking to help leave Gaza?
Mr Maclachlan : The number 79 is not 79 Australian citizens; it’s 79 Australian citizens, permanent residents and family.
Senator Wong: The point you raise was raised with us, and you probably haven’t been tracking it each day. It’s the reason the number jumped when Mr McLachlan’s advice was to widen the scope of whom we were trying to assist. I think we went from 30-something to 70-something as a consequence as the widening of the definitions.
Mr Maclachlan : Yes; that’s roughly correct.
Ms Spencer : I can confirm that 40 of those are Australian citizens, but they’re largely in mixed family groups.
Senator FARUQI: That’s the latest number, and it hasn’t gone up in the last few days?
Ms Spencer : No. That’s right.
Mr Maclachlan : Seventy-nine was off the press this morning.
Senator FARUQI: Obviously people are frustrated, Minister. There was a report just yesterday which quoted an Australian citizen in Melbourne, Mr Elmobayed, whose mother, Hanaa, is stuck in Gaza, and he is saying:
We feel like we almost have been living a lie, believing that our government was going to help us and no help has been made yet.
We’re at the mercy of this monstrous war, and we don’t know what to do anymore.
How many representations has the government made to the Israeli government asking them to establish a humanitarian corridor to evacuate Australian citizens, permanent residents and their families?
Senator Wong: Multiple.
Mr Maclachlan : We’re working daily on this problem.
Senator Wong: Representations have been made to the Israelis, to the Israeli government at various levels, to the Egyptian government at various levels and to others in the region. Obviously we worry about the whole conflict and the loss of life, but, right at this present time, the fact that we can’t assist Australians in getting out of Gaza is the thing that is deeply concerning.
Senator FARUQI: Minister, you’re well aware of the humanitarian situation in Gaza, and it is basically getting worse every hour. It’s pretty catastrophic. As the UN humanitarian office says, the volume food entering Gaza is only four per cent of the daily average that was needed before the war broke out. The trucks that have gone in there are nothing compared to what need to go in there. You did say this morning that the Australian government has added another $15 million for aid to Gaza and West Bank. That’s on top of the $10 million, so, overall, it is now $25 million.
Senator Wong: That’s right.
Senator FARUQI: Has all this funding reached the agencies yet?
Senator Wong: We did have some of those questions. I’m happy to go back to them, perhaps in a more detailed way.
Senator FARUQI: I did have a look at that, but it wasn’t clear if the funding has reached the agencies.
Senator Wong: That’s fine. I’m happy to. What I would say is I’ve also spoken to the UN entity that you referenced, OCHA—I don’t know why that’s the acronym, but anyway—and my conversation accords with the concerns you raise about the aid going in.
Ms Delaney : Thank you, Senator. As Mr Brazier noted this morning, we had an initial announcement of $10 million, with $3 million to the International Committee of the Red Cross, $6 million to UNICEF and $1 million to the UN Office for Project Services, which is about supporting the movement of humanitarian staff and supplies within Gaza. They will also facilitate the Rafah crossing. We have dispersed the funding to UNICEF and to UNOPS, and we’re very close with ICRC.
Senator FARUQI: Sorry, I can’t hear you well. All the $25 million has reached the agencies?
Ms Delaney : No. Most of the initial $10 million has been dispersed. We countersigned agreements with the International Committee of the Red Cross earlier in the week, and that funding should be being dispersed, if not already done so, today or tomorrow.
Senator FARUQI: That’s the $15 million which is very close?
Ms Delaney : That’s the $10 million. Ministers have approved the $15 million package and we’re currently working through the agreements.
Senator FARUQI: What’s the situation with the aid actually getting on the ground to people, hospitals and other places? Do you have any idea of how that’s panning out?
Senator Wong: That’s connected to the Rafah crossing humanitarian access issue that we were discussing earlier.
Senator FARUQI: How much of it has actually reached people?
Ms Delaney : As I mentioned this morning, our initial package was going to support those agencies who had prepositioned supplies. UNICEF and the ICRC already had prepositioned supplies there, and UNOPS was already operating in Gaza. It was to signal that we would support those efforts. I mentioned a number of examples this morning of what they’ve been able to deliver with that $10 million package. With the $15 million package, obviously, we’re working again with those agencies. I think we’ve talked about the convoys that have able to get in, but of course acknowledge that this is inadequate at this point.
Senator FARUQI: My last question is on fuel; I know there was an earlier discussion on that. From what I understand, there has been a complete, or almost complete, blackout in Gaza since 14 October. Aid groups have said the aid sent to Gaza doesn’t include fuel at the moment. Doctors from Gaza’s only cancer hospital have warned that they’re running perilously low on fuel and could be forced to shut down. I note that the $15 million announcement today does not explicitly refer to any provision of fuel. What would Australia’s aid contribution be to fuel, and what’s happening with allowing fuel into Gaza? Is the Australian government making representations about that particularly?
Ms Delaney : As was mentioned earlier in the session, of course we’re aware of the reporting and concerns of humanitarian partners that the agreements in terms of current convoys going in don’t include fuel. We’re aware of that, and of course we’re working with other like-minded partners to include the concerns about the lack of fuel. But, as the minister has pointed out, those conversations involve Egypt, the US and Israel, and it’s the subject of ongoing negotiations.
Senator FARUQI: Are the conversations about fuel happening with the Israeli government and other governments?
Senator Wong: All humanitarian access is part of those discussions—
Senator FARUQI: Including fuel?
Senator Wong: That’s my understanding, obviously we’re—
Ms Delaney : That’s my understanding too.