25 Humanitarian Groups Call for Australia to Provide Further Funding to Gaza

Displaced Palestinians sit on benches as they wait outside a clinic of the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, on Jan. 28, 2024. AFP via Getty Images

Twenty-five humanitarian groups are demanding the Australian government provide a further $50 million to Gaza amid the ceasefire.

Israel and Hamas recently agreed to a ceasefire deal that obligates Hamas to release Israeli hostages, in return for Israel releasing Palestinian prisoners.

“The Australian humanitarian sector calls on the Australian government to fund an initial surge in timely and flexible humanitarian assistance of $50 million through Australian humanitarian agencies to support the immediate humanitarian response needs in Gaza,” the letter states (pdf).

The letter also encouraged the Australian government to engage “diplomatically” with the Israeli government and international partners, to advocate for continued work of the United Nations Relief Works Agency (UNRWA).

“Next week, the ban of the United Nations Relief Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), which was passed by the Israeli Knesset, is due to come into effect. This will be a devastating blow to relief efforts. UNRWA must be able to continue its work” the letter said.

The Israeli Knesset (parliament) voted to ban the group’s operations following allegations members off the UNRWA were involved in the Hamas attack on Oct. 7. Australia and multiple other nations including Canada have expressed concern about Israel’s actions.

In Aug. 2024, the U.N. admitted nine staff “may have been involved” in the Hamas attack.

The humanitarian letter was signed by groups like the Australian Council of International Development, Save the Children, Oxfam Australia, Global Health Alliance, Caritas Australia, Baptist World Aid, and the Refugee Council of Australia.

Australia Has Provided Millions to Gaza

Australia’s federal government has already offered about $94.5 million worth of humanitarian assistance to civilians impacted by conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs.

In January following news of the ceasefire, Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese provided hope the Australian government would continue to support Gaza.

“We will continue to act in partnership with the international community to support the urgent humanitarian needs of the people of Gaza,” they said.

In their statement, the political leaders also welcomed news of the ceasefire and hostage agreement and said they hoped it would enable the Palestinian people to rebuild.

“We urge all parties to respect its terms and safeguard a lasting peace, including ensuring the immediate release of all hostages and unimpeded and sustained increases in humanitarian assistance to all parts of Gaza,” Wong and Albanese said, while backing moves toward a two-state solution.

Trump Unsure Peace Will last

The world is now turning its attention to impending United States’ policy actions after U.S. President Donald Trump was inaugurated on Jan. 20.

Discussing conflict in the Middle East, Trump said he “might” help rebuild Gaza during a conversation with reporters at the White House.

Trump also indicated he was not confident the ceasefire and hostage release deal would last, but noted they were “very weakened on the other side” in reference to Hamas.

“I’m not confident. It’s not our war, it’s their war. I looked at a picture of Gaza. Gaza is like a massive demolition site. That place is, it’s really, it’s got to be rebuilt in a different way,” he told reporters.

He described Gaza as a “phenomenal location” on the sea, adding, “Some beautiful things could be done with it, but it’s very interesting, but some fantastic things could be done with Gaza.”

Meanwhile in Australia, social tensions emanating from Oct. 7 continue with the Jewish community continually being targeted by antisemitic attacks.

In Sydney’s east on Jan. 21, a childcare centre in Maroubra was firebombed and graffitied with offensive words, prompting calls for harsher penalties.