UK, Australia PMs Urge Gaza Ceasefire, Two-State Solution

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United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese discussed a two-state solution for Gaza, emphasizing a ceasefire and humanitarian aid, during a July 30, 2025, call.

On July 30, 2025, United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer held a phone call with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to address the escalating crisis in Gaza, as reported by GOV.UK. Starmer outlined the UK’s framework for peace, stressing that recognizing a Palestinian state must drive tangible progress toward a viable two-state solution, not merely serve as a symbolic gesture. Both leaders agreed on the urgent need for an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages, and accelerated humanitarian aid to Gaza, where Israel’s aid blockade has worsened civilian suffering, according to a joint statement from the Australia-United Kingdom Ministerial Consultations (AUKMIN).

Starmer highlighted the UK’s involvement in Jordanian airdrops to deliver aid to Gaza’s most vulnerable, while both premiers called for large-scale convoys to ensure rapid relief, per GOV.UK. They emphasized that Hamas, a designated terrorist organization, must have no role in a future Palestinian state. Albanese, reinforcing Australia’s long-standing bipartisan support for a two-state solution, expressed dismay at the humanitarian toll, citing United Nations (UN) reports of one in five children facing starvation in Gaza. “Israel must comply with international law and allow unhindered aid access,” Albanese stated, according to ABC News.

The discussion also touched on the Australia-United Kingdom-United States (AUKUS) partnership, with both leaders welcoming progress on nuclear-powered submarine development, as noted in the AUKMIN joint statement. This reflects their broader commitment to global security amid a “dangerous and unpredictable” environment, as described by Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong. The call followed Starmer’s cabinet decision to recognize Palestinian statehood by September 2025 unless Israel commits to a ceasefire and halts West Bank settlement expansion, a move Albanese has yet to endorse fully, per The Guardian.

Critics, including Australia’s opposition, argue Albanese’s stance overlooks Hamas’s role in obstructing aid, with shadow minister Jonno Duniam telling ABC News that blaming Israel alone is “not based in fact.” As global pressure mounts, with France already recognizing Palestine, the talks underscore the delicate balance between diplomacy and action in resolving the Gaza crisis.