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The Australian government Thursday hailed the first phase of a U.S.-brokered peace plan between Israel and Hamas as offering genuine hope for hostage families and Gaza’s suffering population, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese praising President Trump’s diplomatic breakthrough after eight decades of regional conflict.
Responding to a question from Labor Member Annabel Digance of Boothby electorate, Prime Minister Albanese stated: “Australia welcomes the news that both Israel and Hamas have agreed to the first phase of President Trump’s peace plan.”
The Prime Minister characterized the moment’s significance: “In the Middle East the past two years have been full of dark days. Today we see a ray of light. Today, the world has cause for real hope.”
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Multiple Constituencies for Hope
Albanese identified three groups with particular reason for optimism: “Hope for the families of the hostages who have kept a two-year vigil that must have felt like an eternity. Hope for the people of Gaza who have endured suffering beyond imagining.”
He continued: “And hope that after eight decades of conflict and terror, we can break this cycle of violence and build something better.”
Australia’s Consistent Position
The Prime Minister outlined Australia’s stance throughout the conflict: “Throughout this devastating conflict, Australia has consistently been part of the international calls for a ceasefire, for the return of hostages, and for the flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza.”
Albanese acknowledged the crucial role of American leadership: “We’ve always acknowledged that the leadership of the United States of America, together with the Arab League, is vital to achieving these goals. President Trump’s plan proves the truth of that.”
International Coordination
The government applauded diplomatic efforts: “We applaud the diplomatic efforts that have been undertaken by the United States, the Arab League, Turkey, Qatar and Egypt and the work done that has been done to engage with Israel and the Palestinian Authority.”
Albanese referenced his own diplomatic engagement: “I was grateful for the opportunity to discuss these matters with a number of leaders in the United States, at the UN, at the UK and at the United Arab Emirates together with a number of key international partners.”
Recognition Momentum
The Prime Minister noted significant diplomatic developments: “Of course, three of the Five Eyes states who recognised the state of Palestine during that UN Leaders’ Week. There is growing international momentum to bring peace and security to the Middle East, and we must all continue to work together to build on this.”
Conditions and Requirements
While welcoming the agreement, Albanese emphasized conditions: “As we welcome the agreement on phase one of this plan, we reiterate our support for its calls for Hamas to lay down its arms, and that Hamas must play no role in the future of Gaza.”
He added critical requirements: “Importantly, President Trump’s plan also rejects the annexation and forced displacement of the Palestinian people.”
Two-State Solution
The Prime Minister concluded with Australia’s long-term position: “The only path to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East remains a two-state solution, the State of Israel and the State of Palestine living side by side within internationally recognised borders in peace and security.”
The statement represents Australia’s most significant public response to the ceasefire agreement, positioning the nation within the international consensus supporting the Trump administration’s diplomatic initiative.
Australia’s embrace of the peace plan reflects the government’s balancing act between supporting Israel’s security concerns and recognizing Palestinian rights—a delicate position for a middle-power nation with significant diaspora communities from both sides of the conflict.
The reference to Five Eyes intelligence partners (United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand) recognizing Palestinian statehood signals shifting Western positions on the decades-old conflict, though the specific three nations mentioned were not identified in the Prime Minister’s remarks.
The two-year timeline referenced corresponds to the October 2023 Hamas attack on Israel that triggered the current phase of conflict, resulting in hundreds of Israeli hostages and tens of thousands of Palestinian casualties according to various international estimates.
President Trump’s involvement marks his second term addressing Middle East peace, following the Abraham Accords during his first presidency that normalized relations between Israel and several Arab nations.
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