Israel鈥檚 indiscriminate bombardment of Gaza, West Bank and Lebanon, after United States President Donald Trump gave it the okay to unleash 鈥渁ll hell鈥, has re-ignited pro-Palestine protests across Australia.
On the , the holiday marking the end of Ramadan, Israel killed at least 64 people, including children, sheltering in tents. Al Jazeera reported on March 31 that the Palestine Red Crescent was finally able to recover the bodies of eight medics, five civil defence workers and a United Nations employee after their vehicles were bombed by Israel.
This follows a week in which Israeli attacks killed more than 700 people and displaced at least 140,000 more people in Gaza. Israel has stopped all humanitarian aid from entering Gaza for three weeks in a row. During the ceasefire, between 500鈥600 trucks arrived daily.
Israel鈥檚 Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces from Israelis demanding he do a deal with Hamas to get 59 Israeli captives released.
Hamas said on March 30 it had accepted a from mediators in Egypt and Qatar. Israel is refusing, saying it has a counter-offer (of which it has not released details) and demanding Hamas disarm and leave Gaza. Israel said it was working to implement Trump鈥檚 鈥渧oluntary emigration plan鈥 for Gaza.
Hamas saying it agreed to a proposal that includes the release of five Israeli captives each week, but it would not lay down its arms.
With a five-week election campaign underway across Australia, pro-Palestine supporters are determined to make Israel鈥檚 genocide in Gaza and West Bank a decisive election issue.
A snap rally in Naarm/Melbourne attracted more than 400 people on March 28. , Socialist Alliance candidate for Wills,聽told the rally that Israel is 鈥渘ot merely trying to eliminate armed resistance鈥 but trying to kill or expel all the Palestinian people from Gaza.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e still bombing so-called safe zones,鈥 she said.
Bolton called for support for pro-Palestine candidates, 鈥渆specially strong pro-Palestine supporters鈥, in the election.
However, she also said that 鈥渢he elections won鈥檛 resolve anything鈥. She emphasised that the protest movement has to continue, since 鈥渋t鈥檚 only this movement that鈥檚 made sure that Palestine is an issue in the election鈥.
She also called for support for all those people that have been penalised for speaking up for Palestine.
Another rally took place in Naarm/Melbourne聽on March 30.
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More than 250 protesters in Magan-djin/Brisbane carried flags, signs and a giant Palestinian flag onto the Victoria Bridge on March 30.
The bridge is significant because the Brisbane City Council, while showing solidarity with Israel, has steadfastly refused to offer any support at all for the countless Palestinians slaughtered by Israel.
In the week leading up to the rally, Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner announced that council funding will be from the annual .
This decision was a response to QMusic awarding a prize to Kellee Green in one of the music categories for her piece 鈥溾.
The rally expressed strong support for Green.
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Speakers included Justice for Palestine activist Omar Ashour, unionist Jeff Knight, Wage Peace campaigner Margie Pestorious and Greens candidate for Moreton Remah Naji.
Unionist Nick Riemer spoke at the March 30 rally in Gadigal Country/Sydney.
He lamented the institutional and elite support for Israel鈥檚 genocide, saying that 鈥渟upporting this gut-wrenching orgy of annihilation is effectively now the compulsory admission ticket to social and political power鈥 in this country.
He said that he has 鈥渘ever experienced a darker political moment in my lifetime than the one we鈥檙e currently in鈥 and that 鈥渋t鈥檚 not enough to resist Zionist fascism and its enablers at the ballot box鈥.
鈥淭he only thing that will advance justice for Palestine in Australia is a powerful social movement like the one we鈥檙e trying to create here聽鈥 a grassroots campaign that will eliminate public support for Zionism in this country and deprive Israel of the next generation of political agents it needs.鈥
Protests also took place in聽the Blue Mountains on March 21,聽Gimuy/Cairns on March 28 and聽Muloobinba/Newcastle on March 30.
A cross-faith protest was organised in Garramilla/Darwin聽on March 29, with speakers from the聽Charles Darwin University Muslim Students Association,聽the Uniting Church, Jewish community, and current and aspiring politicians.
Luke Gosling, Labor MP for Solomon, has drawn the ire of the Muslim community for his refusal to meet with constituents and take a strong pro-Palestine stance.
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The National Tertiary Education Union held a national day of action on March 26 and media workers held a snap action on March 29.
Film screenings continue including an April 3 showing of No Other Land in Djilang/Geelong and an April 4 screening of Palestinians Don鈥檛 Need Sidewalks in Boorloo/Perth.