Australia “strongly condemns” Hamas’s decision to reject an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire proposal and lauds Jerusalem for accepting it.
“Hamas claims to represent Gaza, yet it has jeopardized the welfare of its own people by rejecting the proposal for a ceasefire,” the government in Canberra says in a statement. “The Israeli Government demonstrated leadership by accepting the Egyptian-brokered ceasefire proposal.”
However, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop acknowledges Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas’s support for the ceasefire and his call for all Palestinian factions to accept it, which serves the interest of the Palestinian people.
“Australia continues to call on all parties to exercise restraint and to restore the ceasefire agreement of November 2012,” the statement continues. “Australia remains of the view that a negotiated two-state solution, with Israel and the Palestinians living in peace and security within internationally-recognized borders, remains the only durable basis for peace.”
That earlier ceasefire has been replaced by a new UN-initiated proposal for a five-hour humanitarian ceasefire set to begin Thursday at 10 a.m. local time. Both Israel and Hamas have said they plan to abide by the new ceasefire.
— Raphael Ahren
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