It's very difficult to follow my distinguished colleague representing the State of Palestine and Dr Ahmad who have articulated what I would have liked to have said but with greater power and depth.
I think we all understand that the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza has gone beyond the world's worst fears.
We know the numbers and we know that those numbers are unfathomable, unfathomable and we know they are unacceptable.
But we also know they do not capture the dreadful reality.
The dreadful reality for each child who has been killed, who has been rendered homeless, who has lost their parents, who has lost their childhood.
Every child deserves to be safe - whether in Gaza or in Sydney.
Every child deserves access to food or shelter, healthcare, and education.
And every child deserves their inherent dignity and rights protected.
This war must end.
The future of a generation depends on it.
So Australia supports the Call to Action and we will continue to work with you to advance these important goals.
We've committed more $130 million to date in humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza since October 7, with a focus on women and children.
We're supporting our valued partners to provide much needed access to shelter, nutrition, water, safe hygiene and critical health services as much as is able in the difficult circumstances in which you operate.
And we have led global efforts to protect aid workers in conflict zones - with a new Declaration for the Protection of Humanitarian Personnel.
We continue to call for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza, the immediate release of hostages, protection of civilians and rapid, unimpeded and sustained humanitarian assistance.
And we call for the establishment of a Palestinian state, which Australia recognised this week for the first time in over 70 years.
Palestinian children have been forced to bear the devastating toll of this war.
That is not acceptable to anyone.
And they are more than statistics. They're more than abstractions.
They're more than even the individual stories.
They are a generation who deserve a future.
