CANBERRA, July 29 (Xinhua) -- Australian Prime Minister (PM) Anthony Albanese has described Israel's denial of starvation in Gaza as "beyond comprehension."
Addressing a meeting of his governing Labor Party in Canberra on Tuesday, Albanese criticized claims by Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and Israel's deputy Ambassador to Australia, Amir Meron, that there is no starvation in Gaza.
While there is a caveat on any information provided by Hamas, it is Israel that has prevented any journalists from getting in, Albanese said.
"Those claims that there is no starvation in Gaza are beyond comprehension."
In a post on social media on Monday, Netanyahu said that there is no starvation in Gaza, nor a policy of starvation in Gaza.
Meron reportedly told journalists from several Australian outlets during a briefing in Canberra on Monday that Israel does not recognize any famine or starvation in the Gaza Strip and that such reports are part of a "false campaign" led by Hamas.
His comments came after Albanese on Sunday told Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) television that Israel is "clearly" breaching international law by restricting aid in Gaza and said in a statement on Friday that the denial of aid and killing of civilians "cannot be defended or ignored."
Asked during Tuesday's meeting when Australia would move to recognize Palestinian statehood, Albanese said that his government has conditions that must be met before doing so, including democratic reforms. ■
