Australian Premier Says Gaza Crisis Is Unacceptable

(MENAFN) Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese declared on Wednesday that the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip — marked by widespread hunger and fatalities — is "completely unacceptable."

He voiced serious concerns about the deteriorating conditions in the region and stated that the conduct of Israeli forces is not "defensible."

Albanese criticized a decision by Israel, made in March, to impose limitations on the delivery of humanitarian assistance to Gaza.

Speaking with a news agency, he said, "Israel made the announcement in March that they would put restrictions on the flow of aid and we're seeing the consequences of that. We have a humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Gaza."

When questioned about whether Israel’s intentional denial of food constitutes a war crime, the prime minister responded that such actions are "certainly not something that's consistent with international law."

Albanese emphasized the global visibility of the crisis, saying that despite restricted media access, the world is witnessing the ongoing tragedy in Gaza through daily television coverage.

"We have a circumstance where people can see it on their TVs every night, in spite of the restrictions that's there on the media entry into Gaza, people are witnessing people who not only are suffering enormously, and starvation and loss of life - but we're also seeing people killed while trying to get access to food and water. Now, in 2025, that's completely unacceptable," he stated.

On Tuesday, Albanese reiterated that Israeli military operations in Gaza are continuing to lead to devastating consequences — namely, the death of civilians, severe hardship, and ongoing hostilities — which he again described as "completely unacceptable."

In a related development, the Australian leader revealed on Monday that Australia intends to officially recognize Palestine during the upcoming UN General Assembly session in September.

MENAFN13082025000045017167ID1109921390