Australia lashes Israeli 'conquer, cleanse' comments

The foreign minister has condemned comments from an Israeli minister calling for Gaza to be cleansed, calling on Israel to stop the suffering of innocent Palestinians.

Penny Wong added Australia's voice to a choir of countries calling for Israel to stop blockading aid into Gaza where more than two million people face starvation.

Senator Wong said a United Nations report that thousands of babies were at risk of imminent death as a result of Israel's 11-week blockade that prevented food and medical supplies entering Gaza was "horrifying".

"The Israeli government cannot allow the suffering to continue," she said in a statement on Wednesday.

"Australia has committed more than $100 million in humanitarian assistance to support civilians in Gaza and Lebanon, too much of which Israel has prevented from reaching vulnerable people."

More than 53,000 Gazans have been killed, according to the health ministry, following Israel's invasion of the strip after designated terror group Hamas launched an attack on October 7, 2023 that killed 1200 people and resulted in 250 hostages.

Dozens remain hostage and Israel blocked all supplies entering Gaza to pressure Hamas into releasing them after a ceasefire deal broke down.

Israel announced on Monday it would let in minimal supplies, which international aid groups described as a drop in the ocean compared to what was needed.

Israel's finance minister said Israel would "conquer, cleanse and stay until Hamas is destroyed" and that "what remains of the strip is also being wiped out".

Bezalel Smotrich said Israel's military would move Gaza's population out of combat zones as it takes control of the strip and displace them to third countries.

Senator Wong opposed the expansion of military operations in Gaza, adding forced displacement breached international law.

"We condemn the abhorrent and outrageous comments made by members of the Netanyahu government about these people in crisis," she said.

Starvation as a weapon was a war crime, according to international law expert Don Rothwell.

The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant after finding reasonable grounds they bore responsibility for war crimes.

This included the allegation starvation has been used as a method of warfare.

Israel has staunchly rejected the warrants.