By Xinhua,
Canberra : Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Stephen Smith said here on Tuesday the Australians were “horrified” by civilian casualties resulting from the conflict in Gaza and Israel.
Smith told reporters that he was aware of a number of allegations of atrocities by the Israeli military during its incursion into the Gaza Strip in the past two weeks. These included the shelling of a UN school in Gaza a week ago which killed Palestinian children and adult civilians.
There were also allegations the Israeli military had used phosphorous bombs which cause chemical burns to victims.
“The Australian government supports a proper investigation of any of those allegations, we expect that all parties to the conflict will abide by and respect international law,” Smith said.
“I think it’s true to make this point, that when Australians see civilian casualties, whether they are casualties from Gaza, whether they are casualties from Israel itself, Australians are horrified by those casualties.”
The conflict could be stopped by implementing an immediate cease-fire along the lines of a UN Security Council resolution and for a long-term solution involving the creation of two nation-states, and that was the Australian government’s “long-standing position,” he said.
Smith also announced an extra 5 million Aust dollars (3.3 million U.S. dollars) in humanitarian assistance from Australia to address food shortages, medical supply shortages and the displacement of families in Gaza.