Ms BYRNES (Cunningham) (10:32): I was proud to join with tens of thousands of people to March for Humanity across the Sydney Harbour Bridge recently. This sent a very powerful message across the world that enough is enough: the war needs to stop, the starvation and killing of children need to stop, there must be a ceasefire and the hostages must be released.

The Prime Minister recently announced that Australia will recognise the state of Palestine at the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in September. The president of Omar Mosque in Gwynneville, in my electorate, Hussein Salem, has been an invaluable source of advice and counsel to me for many years—particularly over the last two years as the situation in Gaza has escalated. After the Prime Minister's announcement and the response from Israel's prime minister, Huss said:

"We are proud of the strong and courageous stance of the Prime Minister—the only solution is a two state solution.

We need to end the hunger and the blockade of aid and health care.

We are shocked and disappointed at the stance of the Israeli Prime Minister."

Since 1947 Australia has supported Israel's existence and a two-state solution. A two-state solution is the only pathway to a secure and prosperous future that respects the aspirations of Israelis and Palestinians alike. There is much work to do in building a Palestinian state. Australia will work with partners on a credible peace plan that establishes governance and security arrangements for Palestine and ensures the security of Israel. The world is seizing the opportunity of major new commitments from the Palestinian Authority, including governance reform, termination of prisoner payments, schooling reform, demilitarisation, general elections and its recognition of Israel's right to exist.

We've been upfront about the challenges of recognising a Palestinian state, like the release of hostages and no role for Hamas. We also call on Israel to engage, because we know a two-state solution is essential for the region's long-term security. Our government has worked hard to collaborate with many other like-minded countries around the world, building historic global momentum to break the cycle of violence in the Middle East—difficult work that I believe has been underestimated and dismissed by some for their own political gain.

We have joined with a growing number of countries to call for a ceasefire, condemn the taking of hostages on 7 October, and criticise Israel's inhumane killing of civilians in Gaza and handling of aid distribution in the strip. We condemn the drip-feeding of aid and the killing of civilians, including children seeking to meet their most basic needs of water and food. We call on Israel to allow a full and immediate resumption of aid to Gaza in line with the binding orders of the International Court of Justice. I give my absolute assurance that I will continue to be a strong advocate for peace. Enough is enough.