ACT Independent Senator David Pocock will today table a petition from Médecins Sans Frontières / Doctors Without Borders that has now been signed by nearly 64,000 Australians calling on the Australian Government to do more in response to the ongoing killing of civilians in Gaza.
The petition calls for three main actions around protecting lives, lifting the siege and stopping the weaponisation of aid.
Senator Pocock said deep concern over Gaza continued to be the top issue people in Canberra contacted his office about expressing their distress and desire for stronger action.
“We have seen statement after statement from countries in the international community, including Australia, condemning the actions of the Israeli Government and the Israeli Defence Force but these calls have been dismissed and civilians continue to be killed,” Senator Pocock said.
“The statement from France, the UK and Canada in May this year threatened “further concrete actions” but such actions have not materialised.
“Every day we wake up to further reports of civilians, including children, being killed while seeking aid. People, including babies, are dying of hunger and malnutrition - this must stop.”
Senator Pocock said there’s more the Australian Government could be doing alongside international partners including:
- Increased aid funding - including for the Palestinian Australian New Zealand Medical Association (PANZMA)
- Calling in the Israeli Ambassador
- Implementing further sanctions against the Israeli Government
- Ensuring we aren’t exporting any weapons parts to Israel
“We’ve got Australian health professionals going over to Gaza to help and not having access to food, others are being refused entry altogether,” Senator Pocock said
“I heard yesterday about one Aussie Doctor from Shoalhaven who lost some 14 kilos in just 4 weeks helping out in Gaza. Doctors are only being allowed 2kg food on entry - this is completely unacceptable.
"As this petition is tabled in Parliament, we join the tens of thousands across Australia who are calling for an end to the relentless suffering and death in Gaza. Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders has witnessed the devastating human toll first-hand: children starved, families torn apart, entire health systems obliterated. We need immediate and decisive action to protect civilians, uphold international humanitarian law, and ensure that lifesaving aid can reach those in desperate need. Australia must act now,” Jennifer Tierney, Executive Director, Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders Australia.
