The announcement by the President of the United States that Israel and Hamas have agreed to implement the first phase of a US-brokered peace plan should inspire hope in Australia and across the world.
All fair-minded Australians will welcome this announcement. We must remain hopeful today’s announcement will be borne out over the coming days.
The Coalition has supported the US-brokered peace plan from its announcement, and we have stood with Israel and the United States through this conflict. Such an outcome is why the Australian Government should always have stood with our closest ally the United States.
Today marks a hopeful first step toward the release of hostages held for over two years, the end of this war, and the beginning of enduring peace.
This development also underscores what the Coalition has been saying for weeks – now is not a time to protest, it is a time to provide our support to this effort which has delivered the real prospect of peace after two years of conflict.