‘Maximum pressure on Hamas': Chalmers made the ‘wrong call at the wrong time'
'This is the wrong call at the wrong time,' Mr Leeser told Sky News host Danica De Giorgio.
'What we need to do at the moment in Australia is to put maximum pressure on Hamas.'
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Sky News AU
an hour ago
- Sky News AU
‘Unconscionable scenes' in Gaza have driven Western nations to recognise Palestine
Former Labor adviser Bruce Hawker says the 'completely unconscionable scenes' of starvation in Gaza has driven more Western nations to recognise a Palestinian state. 'Now, it's an opportunity for forward thinking governments around the world to say, how do we lay the groundwork for what was looking like a pretty good option back in the 1990s when Bill Clinton was the president and going towards this two-state solution between Palestine and Israel,' Mr Hawker told Sky News Australia. 'All of that has been set back horribly as a result of Hamas' attack on Israel in October last year and by Israel's response. 'How do we start resetting it all in a way that would allow, with goodwill on both sides, somewhere down the line for an independent Palestinian state to be established.'
The Advertiser
2 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Palestine permeates Labor as leaders focus on elections
Tensions within the Labor movement over policies on the Middle East loom over a key party love-in, as focus turns to preparing for Australia's next state election. A handful of members staged a silent protest against Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles at the Victorian party's conference on Saturday, holding up images of Palestinian flags on their devices. While passed motions do not bind governments or the federal party, votes by rank-and-file members are set for later in the day on the AUKUS defence agreement and Middle East. The grassroots resolutions call for action against the "military occupation, siege and genocide" in Palestine as well as withdrawing from AUKUS. A similar resolution on Palestine passed at the state conference in 2024 after the terror attack on Israel by Hamas on October 7, 2023, and the nation's subsequent military campaign in Gaza. Labor's official platform backs Palestinian statehood but Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has not set a timeline for implementing the policy and recently declared it not imminent. Housing Minister Clare O'Neil, Transport Minister Catherine King and Skills Minister Andrew Giles were among hundreds of federal and state MPs, party members and union officials at Saturday's gathering. Mr Marles and Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan were welcomed with standing ovations, with the latter's address firmly focused on the 2026 state election. Ms Allan promoted her newly unveiled plan to legalise the right to work from home while ramping up language favoured by Labor leaders, including referring to the opposition as "Tories" and "just Liberals". Mr Marles spent much of his speech thanking Labor members for efforts to secure the party's thumping federal election win, with uncontroversial motions discussed at the start of the day. A coalition of groups are set to rally outside the venue to oppose the "genocide in Gaza", forced administration of the CFMEU and incoming state protest laws. Security was tightened for the event after pro-Palestine protesters stormed the venue in 2024, with attendees this year forced to show tickets multiple times and tarps shielding public view. The 2024 security breach led to the conference floor being locked down and delayed speeches by Mr Albanese and Ms Allan, who has warned people not to bring their "extremist behaviour" to the 2025 conference. "If they want to join the Labor party and be part of the debate and discussion inside the room, that's how you make a difference," she said. A Victoria Police spokesperson said the force was prepared for protest action and ready to respond. The conference falls on the same weekend as the Garma Festival in the Northern Territory's remote northeast Arnhem Land. Mr Albanese is expected to attend the four-day event, with another senior leader to instead give the federal address to the state Labor faithful. With issues mounting after a decade in power, the Victorian Labor brand was viewed as a drag on the Albanese government's hopes for re-election in the lead-up to the May 3 poll. Labor ultimately retained all of its Victorian seats and added MPs for Deakin, Menzies and Melbourne to its ballooning lower-house benches in Canberra. Tensions within the Labor movement over policies on the Middle East loom over a key party love-in, as focus turns to preparing for Australia's next state election. A handful of members staged a silent protest against Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles at the Victorian party's conference on Saturday, holding up images of Palestinian flags on their devices. While passed motions do not bind governments or the federal party, votes by rank-and-file members are set for later in the day on the AUKUS defence agreement and Middle East. The grassroots resolutions call for action against the "military occupation, siege and genocide" in Palestine as well as withdrawing from AUKUS. A similar resolution on Palestine passed at the state conference in 2024 after the terror attack on Israel by Hamas on October 7, 2023, and the nation's subsequent military campaign in Gaza. Labor's official platform backs Palestinian statehood but Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has not set a timeline for implementing the policy and recently declared it not imminent. Housing Minister Clare O'Neil, Transport Minister Catherine King and Skills Minister Andrew Giles were among hundreds of federal and state MPs, party members and union officials at Saturday's gathering. Mr Marles and Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan were welcomed with standing ovations, with the latter's address firmly focused on the 2026 state election. Ms Allan promoted her newly unveiled plan to legalise the right to work from home while ramping up language favoured by Labor leaders, including referring to the opposition as "Tories" and "just Liberals". Mr Marles spent much of his speech thanking Labor members for efforts to secure the party's thumping federal election win, with uncontroversial motions discussed at the start of the day. A coalition of groups are set to rally outside the venue to oppose the "genocide in Gaza", forced administration of the CFMEU and incoming state protest laws. Security was tightened for the event after pro-Palestine protesters stormed the venue in 2024, with attendees this year forced to show tickets multiple times and tarps shielding public view. The 2024 security breach led to the conference floor being locked down and delayed speeches by Mr Albanese and Ms Allan, who has warned people not to bring their "extremist behaviour" to the 2025 conference. "If they want to join the Labor party and be part of the debate and discussion inside the room, that's how you make a difference," she said. A Victoria Police spokesperson said the force was prepared for protest action and ready to respond. The conference falls on the same weekend as the Garma Festival in the Northern Territory's remote northeast Arnhem Land. Mr Albanese is expected to attend the four-day event, with another senior leader to instead give the federal address to the state Labor faithful. With issues mounting after a decade in power, the Victorian Labor brand was viewed as a drag on the Albanese government's hopes for re-election in the lead-up to the May 3 poll. Labor ultimately retained all of its Victorian seats and added MPs for Deakin, Menzies and Melbourne to its ballooning lower-house benches in Canberra. Tensions within the Labor movement over policies on the Middle East loom over a key party love-in, as focus turns to preparing for Australia's next state election. A handful of members staged a silent protest against Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles at the Victorian party's conference on Saturday, holding up images of Palestinian flags on their devices. While passed motions do not bind governments or the federal party, votes by rank-and-file members are set for later in the day on the AUKUS defence agreement and Middle East. The grassroots resolutions call for action against the "military occupation, siege and genocide" in Palestine as well as withdrawing from AUKUS. A similar resolution on Palestine passed at the state conference in 2024 after the terror attack on Israel by Hamas on October 7, 2023, and the nation's subsequent military campaign in Gaza. Labor's official platform backs Palestinian statehood but Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has not set a timeline for implementing the policy and recently declared it not imminent. Housing Minister Clare O'Neil, Transport Minister Catherine King and Skills Minister Andrew Giles were among hundreds of federal and state MPs, party members and union officials at Saturday's gathering. Mr Marles and Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan were welcomed with standing ovations, with the latter's address firmly focused on the 2026 state election. Ms Allan promoted her newly unveiled plan to legalise the right to work from home while ramping up language favoured by Labor leaders, including referring to the opposition as "Tories" and "just Liberals". Mr Marles spent much of his speech thanking Labor members for efforts to secure the party's thumping federal election win, with uncontroversial motions discussed at the start of the day. A coalition of groups are set to rally outside the venue to oppose the "genocide in Gaza", forced administration of the CFMEU and incoming state protest laws. Security was tightened for the event after pro-Palestine protesters stormed the venue in 2024, with attendees this year forced to show tickets multiple times and tarps shielding public view. The 2024 security breach led to the conference floor being locked down and delayed speeches by Mr Albanese and Ms Allan, who has warned people not to bring their "extremist behaviour" to the 2025 conference. "If they want to join the Labor party and be part of the debate and discussion inside the room, that's how you make a difference," she said. A Victoria Police spokesperson said the force was prepared for protest action and ready to respond. The conference falls on the same weekend as the Garma Festival in the Northern Territory's remote northeast Arnhem Land. Mr Albanese is expected to attend the four-day event, with another senior leader to instead give the federal address to the state Labor faithful. With issues mounting after a decade in power, the Victorian Labor brand was viewed as a drag on the Albanese government's hopes for re-election in the lead-up to the May 3 poll. Labor ultimately retained all of its Victorian seats and added MPs for Deakin, Menzies and Melbourne to its ballooning lower-house benches in Canberra. Tensions within the Labor movement over policies on the Middle East loom over a key party love-in, as focus turns to preparing for Australia's next state election. A handful of members staged a silent protest against Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles at the Victorian party's conference on Saturday, holding up images of Palestinian flags on their devices. While passed motions do not bind governments or the federal party, votes by rank-and-file members are set for later in the day on the AUKUS defence agreement and Middle East. The grassroots resolutions call for action against the "military occupation, siege and genocide" in Palestine as well as withdrawing from AUKUS. A similar resolution on Palestine passed at the state conference in 2024 after the terror attack on Israel by Hamas on October 7, 2023, and the nation's subsequent military campaign in Gaza. Labor's official platform backs Palestinian statehood but Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has not set a timeline for implementing the policy and recently declared it not imminent. Housing Minister Clare O'Neil, Transport Minister Catherine King and Skills Minister Andrew Giles were among hundreds of federal and state MPs, party members and union officials at Saturday's gathering. Mr Marles and Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan were welcomed with standing ovations, with the latter's address firmly focused on the 2026 state election. Ms Allan promoted her newly unveiled plan to legalise the right to work from home while ramping up language favoured by Labor leaders, including referring to the opposition as "Tories" and "just Liberals". Mr Marles spent much of his speech thanking Labor members for efforts to secure the party's thumping federal election win, with uncontroversial motions discussed at the start of the day. A coalition of groups are set to rally outside the venue to oppose the "genocide in Gaza", forced administration of the CFMEU and incoming state protest laws. Security was tightened for the event after pro-Palestine protesters stormed the venue in 2024, with attendees this year forced to show tickets multiple times and tarps shielding public view. The 2024 security breach led to the conference floor being locked down and delayed speeches by Mr Albanese and Ms Allan, who has warned people not to bring their "extremist behaviour" to the 2025 conference. "If they want to join the Labor party and be part of the debate and discussion inside the room, that's how you make a difference," she said. A Victoria Police spokesperson said the force was prepared for protest action and ready to respond. The conference falls on the same weekend as the Garma Festival in the Northern Territory's remote northeast Arnhem Land. Mr Albanese is expected to attend the four-day event, with another senior leader to instead give the federal address to the state Labor faithful. With issues mounting after a decade in power, the Victorian Labor brand was viewed as a drag on the Albanese government's hopes for re-election in the lead-up to the May 3 poll. Labor ultimately retained all of its Victorian seats and added MPs for Deakin, Menzies and Melbourne to its ballooning lower-house benches in Canberra.
The Advertiser
2 hours ago
- The Advertiser
US envoy visits Gaza aid operation the UN calls unsafe
US President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy has visited a US-backed aid operation in Gaza, which the United Nations has partly blamed for deadly conditions in the enclave, saying he sought to get food and other aid to people there. Steve Witkoff on Friday visited a site run by the US and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation in Rafah in the war-shattered Palestinian territory, where Israel has been fighting the militant group Hamas. Humanitarian organisations and many foreign governments have been strongly critical of the GHF, which began operations in late May. A global hunger monitor warned this week that famine is unfolding in Gaza. Hours after Witkoff's visit, Palestinian medics reported Israeli forces shot dead three Palestinians near one of the group's sites in the city on Gaza's southern edge. Reuters could not immediately verify whether it was the same location. The Israeli military said it was still looking into the incident in which soldiers fired warning shots at what it described as a "gathering of suspects" approaching its troops, hundreds of metres from the aid site. The UN says more than 1000 people have been killed trying to receive aid in Gaza since the GHF began operating, most of them shot by Israeli forces operating near GHF sites. The Israeli military has acknowledged that its forces have killed some Palestinians seeking aid and says it has given its troops new orders to improve their response. The UN has declined to work with the GHF, which it says distributes aid in ways that are inherently dangerous and violate humanitarian neutrality principles, contributing to the hunger crisis across the territory. The GHF says nobody has been killed at its distribution points, and that it is doing a better job of protecting aid deliveries than the UN Israel blames Hamas and the UN for the failure of food to get to desperate Palestinians in Gaza and introduced the GHF distribution system, saying it would prevent aid supplies being seized by Hamas. Hamas denies stealing aid. Indirect negotiations between the sides aimed at securing a 60-day ceasefire and hostage release deal ended last week in deadlock. Hamas on Friday released a video of Israeli hostage Evyatar David in one of its tunnels appearing skeletally thin. Its allied Islamic Jihad militant group released a video on Thursday of hostage Rom Braslavski, crying and pleading for his release. Witkoff visited Gaza a day after meeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Israel is under mounting international pressure over the devastation of Gaza since the start of the war and growing starvation among its 2.2 million inhabitants. Gaza medics say dozens of people have died of malnutrition in recent days after Israel cut off all supplies to the enclave for nearly three months from March to May. Israel says it is taking steps to let in more aid, including pausing fighting for part of the day in some areas and announcing protected routes for aid convoys. On Friday, the Israeli military said 200 trucks of aid were distributed by the UN and other organisations on Thursday, with hundreds more waiting to be picked up from the border crossings inside Gaza. The UN says it has thousands of trucks still waiting, if Israel would let them in without the stringent security measures that aid groups say have prevented the entry of humanitarian assistance. Israel began allowing food air drops this week, but UN agencies say these are a poor alternative to letting in more trucks. On Friday, the Israeli military said that 126 food packages were airdropped by six countries, including for the first time France, Spain, and Germany. The Gaza war began when Hamas killed more than 1200 people and took 251 hostage in an attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, according to Israeli figures. Israel's offensive has since killed more than 60,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials. US President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy has visited a US-backed aid operation in Gaza, which the United Nations has partly blamed for deadly conditions in the enclave, saying he sought to get food and other aid to people there. Steve Witkoff on Friday visited a site run by the US and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation in Rafah in the war-shattered Palestinian territory, where Israel has been fighting the militant group Hamas. Humanitarian organisations and many foreign governments have been strongly critical of the GHF, which began operations in late May. A global hunger monitor warned this week that famine is unfolding in Gaza. Hours after Witkoff's visit, Palestinian medics reported Israeli forces shot dead three Palestinians near one of the group's sites in the city on Gaza's southern edge. Reuters could not immediately verify whether it was the same location. The Israeli military said it was still looking into the incident in which soldiers fired warning shots at what it described as a "gathering of suspects" approaching its troops, hundreds of metres from the aid site. The UN says more than 1000 people have been killed trying to receive aid in Gaza since the GHF began operating, most of them shot by Israeli forces operating near GHF sites. The Israeli military has acknowledged that its forces have killed some Palestinians seeking aid and says it has given its troops new orders to improve their response. The UN has declined to work with the GHF, which it says distributes aid in ways that are inherently dangerous and violate humanitarian neutrality principles, contributing to the hunger crisis across the territory. The GHF says nobody has been killed at its distribution points, and that it is doing a better job of protecting aid deliveries than the UN Israel blames Hamas and the UN for the failure of food to get to desperate Palestinians in Gaza and introduced the GHF distribution system, saying it would prevent aid supplies being seized by Hamas. Hamas denies stealing aid. Indirect negotiations between the sides aimed at securing a 60-day ceasefire and hostage release deal ended last week in deadlock. Hamas on Friday released a video of Israeli hostage Evyatar David in one of its tunnels appearing skeletally thin. Its allied Islamic Jihad militant group released a video on Thursday of hostage Rom Braslavski, crying and pleading for his release. Witkoff visited Gaza a day after meeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Israel is under mounting international pressure over the devastation of Gaza since the start of the war and growing starvation among its 2.2 million inhabitants. Gaza medics say dozens of people have died of malnutrition in recent days after Israel cut off all supplies to the enclave for nearly three months from March to May. Israel says it is taking steps to let in more aid, including pausing fighting for part of the day in some areas and announcing protected routes for aid convoys. On Friday, the Israeli military said 200 trucks of aid were distributed by the UN and other organisations on Thursday, with hundreds more waiting to be picked up from the border crossings inside Gaza. The UN says it has thousands of trucks still waiting, if Israel would let them in without the stringent security measures that aid groups say have prevented the entry of humanitarian assistance. Israel began allowing food air drops this week, but UN agencies say these are a poor alternative to letting in more trucks. On Friday, the Israeli military said that 126 food packages were airdropped by six countries, including for the first time France, Spain, and Germany. The Gaza war began when Hamas killed more than 1200 people and took 251 hostage in an attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, according to Israeli figures. Israel's offensive has since killed more than 60,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials. US President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy has visited a US-backed aid operation in Gaza, which the United Nations has partly blamed for deadly conditions in the enclave, saying he sought to get food and other aid to people there. Steve Witkoff on Friday visited a site run by the US and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation in Rafah in the war-shattered Palestinian territory, where Israel has been fighting the militant group Hamas. Humanitarian organisations and many foreign governments have been strongly critical of the GHF, which began operations in late May. A global hunger monitor warned this week that famine is unfolding in Gaza. Hours after Witkoff's visit, Palestinian medics reported Israeli forces shot dead three Palestinians near one of the group's sites in the city on Gaza's southern edge. Reuters could not immediately verify whether it was the same location. The Israeli military said it was still looking into the incident in which soldiers fired warning shots at what it described as a "gathering of suspects" approaching its troops, hundreds of metres from the aid site. The UN says more than 1000 people have been killed trying to receive aid in Gaza since the GHF began operating, most of them shot by Israeli forces operating near GHF sites. The Israeli military has acknowledged that its forces have killed some Palestinians seeking aid and says it has given its troops new orders to improve their response. The UN has declined to work with the GHF, which it says distributes aid in ways that are inherently dangerous and violate humanitarian neutrality principles, contributing to the hunger crisis across the territory. The GHF says nobody has been killed at its distribution points, and that it is doing a better job of protecting aid deliveries than the UN Israel blames Hamas and the UN for the failure of food to get to desperate Palestinians in Gaza and introduced the GHF distribution system, saying it would prevent aid supplies being seized by Hamas. Hamas denies stealing aid. Indirect negotiations between the sides aimed at securing a 60-day ceasefire and hostage release deal ended last week in deadlock. Hamas on Friday released a video of Israeli hostage Evyatar David in one of its tunnels appearing skeletally thin. Its allied Islamic Jihad militant group released a video on Thursday of hostage Rom Braslavski, crying and pleading for his release. Witkoff visited Gaza a day after meeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Israel is under mounting international pressure over the devastation of Gaza since the start of the war and growing starvation among its 2.2 million inhabitants. Gaza medics say dozens of people have died of malnutrition in recent days after Israel cut off all supplies to the enclave for nearly three months from March to May. Israel says it is taking steps to let in more aid, including pausing fighting for part of the day in some areas and announcing protected routes for aid convoys. On Friday, the Israeli military said 200 trucks of aid were distributed by the UN and other organisations on Thursday, with hundreds more waiting to be picked up from the border crossings inside Gaza. The UN says it has thousands of trucks still waiting, if Israel would let them in without the stringent security measures that aid groups say have prevented the entry of humanitarian assistance. Israel began allowing food air drops this week, but UN agencies say these are a poor alternative to letting in more trucks. On Friday, the Israeli military said that 126 food packages were airdropped by six countries, including for the first time France, Spain, and Germany. The Gaza war began when Hamas killed more than 1200 people and took 251 hostage in an attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, according to Israeli figures. Israel's offensive has since killed more than 60,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials. US President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy has visited a US-backed aid operation in Gaza, which the United Nations has partly blamed for deadly conditions in the enclave, saying he sought to get food and other aid to people there. Steve Witkoff on Friday visited a site run by the US and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation in Rafah in the war-shattered Palestinian territory, where Israel has been fighting the militant group Hamas. Humanitarian organisations and many foreign governments have been strongly critical of the GHF, which began operations in late May. A global hunger monitor warned this week that famine is unfolding in Gaza. Hours after Witkoff's visit, Palestinian medics reported Israeli forces shot dead three Palestinians near one of the group's sites in the city on Gaza's southern edge. Reuters could not immediately verify whether it was the same location. The Israeli military said it was still looking into the incident in which soldiers fired warning shots at what it described as a "gathering of suspects" approaching its troops, hundreds of metres from the aid site. The UN says more than 1000 people have been killed trying to receive aid in Gaza since the GHF began operating, most of them shot by Israeli forces operating near GHF sites. The Israeli military has acknowledged that its forces have killed some Palestinians seeking aid and says it has given its troops new orders to improve their response. The UN has declined to work with the GHF, which it says distributes aid in ways that are inherently dangerous and violate humanitarian neutrality principles, contributing to the hunger crisis across the territory. The GHF says nobody has been killed at its distribution points, and that it is doing a better job of protecting aid deliveries than the UN Israel blames Hamas and the UN for the failure of food to get to desperate Palestinians in Gaza and introduced the GHF distribution system, saying it would prevent aid supplies being seized by Hamas. Hamas denies stealing aid. Indirect negotiations between the sides aimed at securing a 60-day ceasefire and hostage release deal ended last week in deadlock. Hamas on Friday released a video of Israeli hostage Evyatar David in one of its tunnels appearing skeletally thin. Its allied Islamic Jihad militant group released a video on Thursday of hostage Rom Braslavski, crying and pleading for his release. Witkoff visited Gaza a day after meeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Israel is under mounting international pressure over the devastation of Gaza since the start of the war and growing starvation among its 2.2 million inhabitants. Gaza medics say dozens of people have died of malnutrition in recent days after Israel cut off all supplies to the enclave for nearly three months from March to May. Israel says it is taking steps to let in more aid, including pausing fighting for part of the day in some areas and announcing protected routes for aid convoys. On Friday, the Israeli military said 200 trucks of aid were distributed by the UN and other organisations on Thursday, with hundreds more waiting to be picked up from the border crossings inside Gaza. The UN says it has thousands of trucks still waiting, if Israel would let them in without the stringent security measures that aid groups say have prevented the entry of humanitarian assistance. Israel began allowing food air drops this week, but UN agencies say these are a poor alternative to letting in more trucks. On Friday, the Israeli military said that 126 food packages were airdropped by six countries, including for the first time France, Spain, and Germany. The Gaza war began when Hamas killed more than 1200 people and took 251 hostage in an attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, according to Israeli figures. Israel's offensive has since killed more than 60,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials.
