The Australian government, Monday, pledged an additional AUD 10 million (USD 6.8 million) in humanitarian assistance for Gaza.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong stated that the funding would provide “life-saving assistance with a focus on women and girls,” through United Nations agencies such as UNICEF and the United Nations Population Fund.
Minister Wong emphasized that Australian support would help address the challenging humanitarian situation by providing essential nutrition, health products, and basic hygiene.
She stressed the importance of humanitarian relief reaching civilians quickly, safely, and without obstacles, and protecting relief workers to enable their life-saving efforts.
Wong also reiterated Australia’s continued push for a ceasefire, protection of civilians, and the release of detainees.
Pat Conroy, Minister for International Development and the Pacific, described the situation in Gaza as “catastrophic,” noting that “civilians should not have to pay the price for the horrific actions of others. The suffering must stop.”
Since the onset of the war in Gaza, Canberra has committed AUD 82.5 million in humanitarian aid.
The conflict escalated following attacks by Hamas and other groups on October 7, which have since resulted in over 41,000 Palestinian casualties in Gaza.
The health ministry in Gaza reported that the death toll in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestinian militants has reached at least 41,431 people as of Sunday.
This includes 40 deaths in the past 24 hours, with nearly 95,818 people wounded since the war began following Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7.
Many victims remain trapped under rubble, and emergency services are facing difficulties in rescue efforts due to continuous airstrikes.
The bombardment has persisted for 352 days, further exacerbating the humanitarian crisis and causing severe damage to Gaza’s infrastructure.
