Australian PM Albanese Criticizes Israel Gaza Aid Blockade Amid Humanitarian Crisis

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has strongly condemned Israel's blockade of humanitarian aid into Gaza, describing the restrictions as "completely unacceptable" and Israel's justifications as "untenable and without credibility." Albanese communicated these criticisms directly to Israeli President Isaac Herzog during a recent meeting in Rome, emphasizing Australia's support for international calls demanding full, unrestricted aid access to Gaza amid warnings from the UN of an impending famine. Australia joined 22 other nations, including the UK, Canada, and Germany, in a joint statement criticizing Israel's limited aid distribution, which only allows a fraction of the necessary supplies into the enclave. Albanese reiterated the humanitarian crisis, citing that hundreds of thousands have been displaced and tens of thousands killed amid the ongoing Israeli military offensive since October 2023. The Australian public largely supports the prime minister's position, with polls indicating strong approval for increased aid to Gaza and opposition to the blockade. Albanese also condemned recent inflammatory remarks from some Israeli officials and stressed that Hamas should have no future governance role in Gaza or the West Bank while advocating for the release of Israeli hostages.