Sydney: Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Wednesday that people in the Gaza Strip are suffering from starvation and loss of life, which is "completely unacceptable."

According to Anadolu Agency, Albanese expressed concerns about the situation in Gaza and said Israeli actions are not "defensible." He highlighted the consequences of the restrictions imposed by Israel on the flow of aid, which were announced in March, leading to what he described as a humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Gaza.

Albanese was asked if the deliberate starvation by Israel constitutes a war crime, to which he responded, "It's certainly not something that's consistent with international law." He emphasized the visibility of the dire situation, noting that despite media restrictions, people worldwide can witness the suffering, starvation, and loss of life occurring in Gaza through their TV screens.

He further expressed his disapproval of the ongoing violence, stating, "We have a circumstance where people can see it on their TVs every night, in spite of the restrictions that's there on the media entry into Gaza, people are witnessing people who not only are suffering enormously, and starvation and loss of life - but we're also seeing people killed while trying to get access to food and water. Now, in 2025, that's completely unacceptable."

Albanese reiterated on Tuesday that Israeli actions in Gaza are resulting in the loss of innocent lives, destitution, and violence, which he deems "completely unacceptable." In a significant diplomatic move, the prime minister announced on Monday that Australia would recognize Palestine at the UN General Assembly in September.