"Australia calls on Israel not to go down this path, which will only worsen the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza,” Foreign Minister Penny Wong said in a statement on Friday, Reuters news agency reported.
Wong said permanent forced displacement was a violation of international law and repeated calls for a ceasefire, aid to flow unimpeded.
“A two-state solution is the only pathway to secure an enduring peace – living side-by-side in peace and security within internationally-recognized borders,” she added.
Australia has not yet joined Western allies such as the UK, Canada and France in announcing it would recognize Palestinian statehood but has said it would make a decision "at an appropriate time", while escalating its criticism of Israel's actions.
Wong's comments come in response to Netanyahu saying Israel intended to take military control of all of Gaza during an interview with Fox News.
He said Israel wanted to hand over the territory to Arab forces that would govern it, without elaborating on the governance arrangements or which Arab countries could be involved.
This is while that Israeli cabinet has agreed to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's plan to occupy Gaza City.
MA/PR
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