Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has condemned the attack on Israel by Hamas, describing it as an “abhorrent attack.” He expressed his shock and said that it was a “dreadful circumstance.” Albanese also stated that there have been no reports of Australians being injured or killed in the attacks so far, although he acknowledged that the information may be incomplete. However, he noted that there are Australian Defence Force personnel currently in Israel.
Albanese emphasized that Israel has the right to defend itself against the indiscriminate targeting and killing of civilians by Hamas. He mentioned that many civilians have been taken as hostages. Israel has vowed to respond to the attacks with targeted attacks on known Hamas locations in the Gaza strip. However, the use of civilian populations as human shields by Hamas complicates military operations.
The attack by Hamas comes after Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong called for restraint and condemned the attacks. She expressed support for Israel and extended condolences to those affected by the violence. Opposition leader Peter Dutton also condemned the attack and stated that Israel has the right to defend itself.
Hamas declared war on Israel with its surprise attack, launching thousands of rockets into Israeli territory. Israel responded by declaring a state of war as civilians were killed by terrorists that had infiltrated its borders. The Israel Defence Force reported over 200 Israeli casualties and over 200 terrorists killed. The Palestinian death toll stood at 232 with over 1,600 wounded according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry called on the government to condemn the crimes committed by Hamas without equivocation. They emphasized that any attempts to draw equivalences between Hamas and Israel’s defensive measures play into the hands of terrorists. On the other hand, the Australian Palestine Advocacy Network stood by the Palestinians in Gaza and called for an end to Israeli attacks and the blockade. The Israeli Embassy in Australia reiterated that it strives to prevent harm to civilians, but the terrorist groups operating in Gaza put Palestinian citizens at risk.