The Australia Palestine Advocacy Network is appalled at the bombing of Gaza by Israeli forces, and calls on the international community and the Australian Government to hold Israel to account.
On Friday evening, in another unprovoked attack, and in the context of an ongoing 15-year siege, Israeli forces again bombed Gaza. Initial reports and official sources confirmed at least 10 people have already been killed, including a 5-year-old girl.
This came just days after Israel closed all transport routes in and out of the besieged strip for Palestinians, and increased its military presence in the area.
“It’s frustrating and tiring to again be condemning Israel for killing Palestinians, and to be asking the international community to hold them to account,” APAN Vice-President, Mr Nasser Mashni said.
“The inhumane treatment by Israel of the people of Gaza is horrifying, and their decades-long suffering is beyond anything which most of us can imagine.
“We know the international community and our own government can take meaningful actions, as was shown when they rallied behind Ukraine, providing money, resources, and implementing boycotts against Russia.
“Without international sanctions, Israel will continue killing Palestinians with impunity, using Palestinians as pawns in their own political games.”
Israel will have fresh elections in November, and many commentators have compared these attacks on Gaza to similar previous attacks close to election periods. Israeli Governments have consistently used ‘security’ as an election issue, with Palestinians suffering the consequences of these electioneering policies.
While these recent attacks have gained international attention, Israeli forces have already killed more than 60 Palestinians this year, including 19 children, in raids and other activities according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Israel regularly bombs Gaza, having last done so in 2021, and before that in 2018-2019, 2014, 2012, and on and on.
Australia can play a role in achieving peace, and APAN calls on the Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Penny Wong, to demand an immediate ceasefire of hostilities, and to support the current International Criminal Court investigation into war crimes in Palestine.
For more information and interviews, contact:
Jarred – [email protected] – 0434 869 088
//ENDS