ASeTTS expresses grave concern over the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the broader Middle East.
We mourn the immense loss of life and the profound suffering endured by civilians across the region. Palestinian civilians have borne the heaviest toll. Tens of thousands of people, including many children, have been killed, injured, or displaced. Homes, hospitals, schools, and vital water infrastructure have been destroyed, leaving millions without the basic conditions required for survival.
Access to humanitarian assistance remains critically restricted. UNICEF warns that more than 71,000 children may need urgent treatment for acute malnutrition.
We note that the International Court of Justice has deemed allegations that Israel is violating its obligations under the Genocide Convention to be plausible and has ordered Israel to take all necessary preventive measures. The Court also called for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages taken by Hamas.
ASeTTS joins the international community in calling for:
- An immediate and sustained ceasefire
- Unimpeded delivery of humanitarian assistance
- Protection of all civilians
- Full adherence to international humanitarian and human rights law
This crisis is causing deep grief and anxiety within Australian communities, particularly among those with close family ties to the region. The rise in community tensions here at home underscores the urgent need for a response anchored in compassion, justice, and the protection of human rights.
ASeTTS unequivocally condemns all forms of Islamophobia, antisemitism, racism, and hate speech.
Together with our colleagues across the Forum of Australian Services for Survivors of Torture and Trauma (FASSTT), we call on the Australian Government to create permanent protection pathways for Palestinians on temporary visas who cannot return safely to their homeland.
We also acknowledge the suffering caused by ongoing conflicts around the world—including in Iran, Sudan, Ukraine, Myanmar, Afghanistan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. In every context, ASeTTS upholds the universal right to safety, healing, justice, and peace.
We remain steadfast in our mission to support survivors of war, torture, and persecution—wherever they are from—and to uphold the dignity, recovery, and rights of all people affected by conflict
