The majority of Australians are in favour of a ceasefire in Gaza, new polling reveals.
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In excess of 80 per cent support a ceasefire while more than half want stronger action from the government to achieve this, according to a poll commissioned by Oxfam Australia.
Almost a third of people said they would take the situation in Gaza and the government's response into account when casting their vote at the next election, the YouGov polling showed.
Support spanned all sides of politics with almost nine in 10 Labor voters and three quarters of coalition ones supporting a ceasefire.
More than 60 per cent of Labor voters and 45 per cent of coalition ones supported more government action.
Support was highest among younger people.
The findings should compel political leaders to ramp up action, Oxfam Australia chief executive Lyn Morgain.
"And leave no stone unturned when it comes to pushing for an immediate and permanent ceasefire," she said.
"The appalling destruction of Gaza and suffering of Palestinians must end now."
Almost 30,000 Palestinians have been killed following Israel's invasion of Gaza in October, according to the local health ministry.
The invasion followed an attack by Hamas - designated a terrorist organisation by Australia - on October 7, when 1200 Israelis were killed and hundreds were taken hostage, according to Tel Aviv.
US President Joe Biden hopes to have a ceasefire deal secured over the weekend or by Monday as negotiations on the release of the remaining hostages continue.
Australia has called for Israel to respect international law during its war in Gaza as well as for the unconditional release of all remaining hostages and for Hamas to play no part in future governance.
Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh has tendered his resignation to the Palestinian Authority president but Mahmoud Abbas must still decide whether he accepts it.
The shake up opens the door for US-backed reforms and for the authority to take a larger role in the post-Hamas governance of Gaza.
It wasn't clear what the authority's next steps were, Australian opposition foreign affairs spokesman Simon Birmingham said.
But Palestinians, Israelis and the international community needed to have confidence in any future governance structure, he said.
This included one that put the best interests of Palestinians first as well as one that promoted Israeli security and didn't tolerate terrorism or extremist views, he said.
"I hope this is a first step towards the Palestinian peoples getting a governance structure ... (that) stakeholders have the necessary confidence for steps towards longer term peace and security," he told Sky News.
The YouGov polling was conducted in mid-February and surveyed 1060 Australians over the age of 18.
Australian Associated Press
