Last week, the Prime Ministers of Australia, Canada and New Zealand issued a joint statement calling on the Israeli Government to initiate an immediate ceasefire in its war on Hamas. The statement comes as Israel prepares for a ground operation in Rafah.
An estimated 1.5 million Palestinians are in camps in Rafah, having moved there from other parts of Gaza following the urgings of the Israeli Government to do so.
The three PMs called for international humanitarian law to be respected. It obliges the Israeli Government to protect civilian lives. In calling for the ceasefire, the PMs said the Palestinians had nowhere else to go. They fear that a military onslaught on Rafah will be catastrophic.
Over 28,000 Palestinian children, women and men have already been killed during the conflict. The destruction of homes and infrastructure such as hospitals and schools is immense. Many Palestinians live with hunger and a lack of basic services such as health care. An end to the military action from both sides is desperately needed.
It is also reported that the US Government is preparing a UN resolution which calls for a ceasefire – a call they have not made to date.
The Pope has repeatedly called for a ceasefire. He laments the massive loss of lives, saying that war is not the answer. He urges all to take the side of peace.