Israel’s imposition of a blockade on aid entering Gaza, preventing critical supplies of food and medical necessities from reaching the region, is deplorable, according to Anthony Albanese, the Prime Minister of Australia. This stance by the Israeli government, as Albanese remarks, is underpinned by “completely untenable” excuses. The entirety of the Gaza population faces hunger, as declared by the United Nations, due to the Israeli blockade that has now lasted for 80 days and may represent “the cruelest phase of this cruel conflict.”
During a press conference, Prime Minister Albanese labeled Israel’s actions as “completely unacceptable,” voicing deep concern over the approximation of a democratic state withholding essential supplies from those in dire need. Former Labor Minister Ed Husic has similarly expressed that Australia should amplify its efforts to address the crisis, advocating for emergency action to ease the immediate flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza.
Moreover, Greens Senator David Shoebridge has called for the Australian government to take further measures, such as ending multimillion dollar defense contracts with Israeli arms manufacturers and their affiliates. The Israeli military continues to escalate strikes on Gaza, despite warnings from aid agencies that the population is descending into malnutrition and famine after nearly three months of blocked food, fuel, medicine, and other essential supplies. The Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has pledged to strengthen Israeli control over the Gaza Strip while insisting that the ongoing siege could be relaxed to avert a starvation crisis; however, many argue that this emergency has already taken hold.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/may/26/australian-pm-anthony-albanese-israel-gaza-aid-blockade-outrage
