The Greens have called on the government to demand a ceasefire of all parties in the Israel-Hamas war, following reports Israeli forces launched a raid of Gaza overnight with threats of a full ground invasion.
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ACM, publisher of this masthead, also understands national security officials in Australia are concerned about the ripple effects a ground invasion could trigger here, such as violence and extremism.
The domestic threat level in Australia is unchanged, but officials are continuing to monitor neo-Nazis, and Sunni and Shia extremist groups. It is understood there are no known instances of extremist groups planning violence in the country at this stage.
Israeli troops raided northern Gaza overnight, striking Hamas targets - Israel's biggest ground attack of the Palestinian territory since war broke out on October 7.
The Israel Defence Forces wrote on Twitter this was done "in preparation for the next stages of combat", adding that soldiers have since left the area and returned to Israeli territory.
Greens senator and spokesperson for foreign affairs Jordon Steele-John said the raid, along with the more than 250 reported airstrikes in Gaza within just 24 hours, was "proof once again that calls for simple humanitarian pauses are not being effective".
"You cannot mumble in the face of war crimes and crimes against humanity," Mr Steele-John told reporters on Friday.
"There needs to be a clear call by the government to condemn these actions with the same clarity and compassion and honesty with which they condemned the terror attacks of the seventh of October, a condemnation with which the Greens fully and unequivocally joined them in."
In a video address, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday said the country was preparing for a Gaza ground invasion, but did not give details as to when.
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Australia has joined the United States, United Kingdom and European Union leaders in calling for "humanitarian pauses" in the conflict.
"We call for humanitarian pauses on hostilities, so food, water, medicine and other essential assistance can reach people in desperate need, and so civilians can get to safety," Foreign Minister Penny Wong wrote on Twitter.
Australia has deployed a "significant contingent" of Australia Defence Force personnel and two additional RAAF aircraft to the Middle East; a move Defence Minister Richard Marles said was undertaken to support Australians in the region if the situation "gets worse".
Meanwhile on Friday, Labor minister Tony Burke stood by his local council's decision to raise the Palestinian flag until a ceasefire was declared.
Mr Burke, whose electorate of Watson in south-west Sydney has one of the highest Islamic populations in the country, told ABC Radio "people have a right to be able to grieve when innocent life is lost".
"We can't say we only grieve for certain people who are slaughtered," he told ABC radio.
"We can't have a situation as a nation where we only formally acknowledge particular deaths. I'm really glad that the council made that decision. I'm very proud that it was my local council."
Justine Landis-Hanley
I'm a federal politics and public sector reporter at The Canberra Times, with an interest in integrity, regulation, and social services. Contact me with tips and feedback at justine.landishanley@canberratimes.com.au.
I'm a federal politics and public sector reporter at The Canberra Times, with an interest in integrity, regulation, and social services. Contact me with tips and feedback at justine.landishanley@canberratimes.com.au.
