Live updates: Claim Israel warned days before attacks; US upgrades travel warning for citizens; Australia planning third evacuation flight
US President Joe Biden has issued a stark warning to Iran to “be careful” around its actions in the region following Hamas’ attack on Israel. Foreign Minister Penny Wong said Australia is working on an additional flight out of Israel for stranded civilians. Palestinian suffering has mounted as Israeli bombardments demolish entire Gaza neighbourhoods.
ASIO’s director-general says he is concerned about the potential for violence in Australia in relation to the Israel-Hamas war, but has stressed the terrorism threat level remains unchanged.
“Protests, rallies and associated activities are expected to continue, and are likely to feature strong emotive claims,” Mike Burgess said in a statement.
“I remain concerned about the potential for opportunistic violence with little or no warning. However, it is important to distinguish opportunistic violence from planned violence or acts of terrorism.
“ASIO remains well-placed to detect threats to security including potential acts of politically motivated violence or the promotion of communal violence.”
Burgess said ASIO is monitoring the situation, and urged everyone to consider their words when addressing the conflict.
“It is important that all parties consider the implications for social cohesion when making public statements,” he said.
“As I have said previously, words matter. ASIO has seen direct connections between inflamed language and inflamed community tensions.
“As always, ASIO is not interested in those who are engaged in lawful protest, but rather the small subset of protesters who may wish to escalate protest to violence – this includes religiously motivated and ideologically motivated extremists, or anyone who believes that violence is a means to further their own interests.”
The number of Palestinians displaced by Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip has risen by 30 per cent in the last day, according to the United Nations.
“Mass displacement across the Gaza Strip continues,” the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said.
“The cumulative number of displaced people increased by 30 per cent over the past 24 hours, now totalling 338,934, of whom over two-thirds are taking shelter in UNRWA schools.”
The agency raised concerns about the level of damage to civilian infrastructure, including healthcare and sewage.
“Human rights organisations have expressed concerns about incidents where civilians and civilian objects appear to have been directly targeted by Israeli airstrikes,” it said.
“Since the start of hostilities, seven significant water and sewage facilities serving over 1,100,000 people were hit by airstrikes and severely damaged.
“In some areas, sewage and solid waste are now accumulating in the streets, posing a health hazard.
“During the past 24 hours, airstrikes have targeted areas near the Beit Hanoun hospital and a healthcare facility in Gaza City, causing damage to the surrounding areas of both facilities and rendering them inaccessible.”
The Egyptian government has rejected any proposal to establish corridors out of Gaza for Palestinians fleeing Israel’s bombardment in Gaza, a senior Egyptian official has said.
The official said they were talking with Israel and the US about establishing safe corridors inside Gaza and the allowance of humanitarian aid to besieged Palestinians.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to brief media, was responding to White House National Security spokesperson John Kirby, who said that the Biden administration is in active conversations to achieve safe passage out of Gaza for civilians.
Egypt’s state-run media reported that Israel’s offensive is part of a scheme to empty the enclave.
Radmore was asked about Sunday’s planned pro-Palestinian rally in the Sydney CBD, which has been changed from a march from Town Hall to a static gathering in Hyde Park.
She said whether that change would make the gathering a legal one was a matter for the NSW Police taskforce established to manage protests in relation to the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Organisers of the event say the change was made to avoid any legal issues following Premier Chris Minns’ declaration that he would stop any future pro-Palestinian marches after an Israeli flag was burnt and vile antisemitic chants were heard during a rally on Monday.
Organisers condemned that behaviour, and said it was committed by a small minority of attendees.
Asked about the legal difference between a protest and a rally, Radmore said “that would be a question for the lawyers”.
The Jewish vigil attended by thousands in Sydney’s east last night attracted a large police presence, which Radmore said organisers were grateful for.
Back to that NSW Police press conference from earlier and Radmore was asked whether officers have seen many threats towards the Jewish community in recent days.
She said they had not.
“No, not too many, but the community is hypervigilant,” she said.
“Everyone would understand the angst and sorrow with what’s going on overseas, so we are asking them if they see something that is untoward, is unfamiliar to their local area… to ensure that they contact us.”
She also said there are no indications of violence in the community, but that police are prepared if it does eventuate.
“Currently we aren’t seeing anything more than threats as such, but obviously if that escalates, appropriate resources would be put towards those matters.”
A White House spokesperson has clarified Joe Biden’s comments from earlier today when the US President indicated he had seen pictures of children being beheaded by Hamas.
“I’ve been doing this a long time, and I never really thought that I would see or have confirmed pictures of terrorists beheading children,” Biden said earlier today.
A spokesman later clarified that the president had not seen confirmed images, but was instead basing his remarks on comments from a spokesperson for Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu.
Hamas has described the allegations that they beheaded children as “fabricated and baseless”.
NSW Police have confirmed a 23-year-old man is facing four charges of intimidation after allegedly threatening four teenage boys on Monday. He was originally issued a single charge before it was upgraded.
“What we will say is that the young people were going about their business. They were affixing an Israeli flag to their motor vehicle on their way to a peaceful vigil nearby, when the driver of the (other) vehicle stopped to threaten them,” Detective Superintendent Jodi Radmore said.
The man was refused bail yesterday and is before the courts today.
Independent federal MP Zali Steggall has called on parents to monitor their children’s social media activity in the coming weeks and days to help them avoid seeing traumatic content coming out of Israel and Gaza.
“It is expected that Hamas terrorists are to release highly distressing hostage videos in the coming hours and days,” Steggall wrote.
“Its traumatic impact is undeniable, leaving a lasting mark on the heart and soul. Psychologists emphasise caution, particularly for children.
“Please talk with your children, monitor their social media use, and prepare them for potentially disturbing content they might encounter.
“Let’s protect our hearts and minds. Avoid sharing to prevent it from spreading.”
