US president-elect Donald Trump has an “opportunity” to stabilise the Middle East amid a fragile truce in Gaza, Foreign Minister Penny Wong says.
The guns fell silent in Gaza for the first time in 15 months after the first phase of a ceasefire-for-hostages deal between Israel and Hamas came into force on Sunday local time.
Senator Wong said the breakthrough was a “potential pathway to peace”.
“Of course, it’s difficult,” she told reporters from Washington.
“We’ve seen that because there have been so many false starts in terms of the ceasefire discussions, but we welcome the release of some hostages.
“There is the opportunity in the Middle East now for the Trump administration to take forward an agenda around greater stability and normalising, particularly given the weakened position of Iran, and that is a good thing for security in the region.”
Fighting in the Gaza Strip halted on Sunday (January 19) as a ceasefire deal between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas took effect after a brief delay, pausing a 15-month-old war that has brought devastation and seismic political change to the Middle East. Diane To reports.
Senator Wong is in the US capital for Mr Trump’s inauguration on Monday (local time).
Last week, she downplayed remarks she made in 2021 saying Mr Trump “was prepared to trash alliances and partnerships for personal political interest”.
Although, she did not directly say whether her view of the incoming US president had changed.
Hamas released three Israeli hostages on Sunday under the US and Qatari-brokered ceasefire.
In exchange, Israel is set to release 90 Palestinian prisoners.
The deal was proposed by outgoing US President Joe Biden.
More to come