00:00 Before I get to the progress Australia and the United States have made today,
00:04 I want to say just a very few words about the situation in the Middle East.
00:09 The anger, the hurt, the sense of outrage that the Israeli people are feeling
00:16 after the brutally inflicted devastation by Hamas is completely understandable.
00:23 Israel has the right, and I would add responsibility, to respond to the slaughter of their people.
00:29 And we will ensure Israel has what it needs to defend itself against these terrorists.
00:33 That's a guarantee.
00:35 We also have to remember that Hamas does not represent, let me say it again,
00:39 Hamas does not represent the vast majority of the Palestinian people on the Gaza Strip or anywhere else.
00:46 Hamas is hiding behind Palestinian civilians, and it's despicable and not surprisingly cowardly as well.
00:53 We're also working around the clock together with our partners in the region to secure the release of hostages,
00:59 including American citizens left behind and held by Hamas,
01:05 and the safe passage of foreign nationals out of Gaza,
01:09 not just Americans but Australians and a whole range of people who are trapped in Gaza.
01:14 I also want to take a moment to look ahead toward the future that we seek.
01:19 Israelis and Palestinians equally deserve to live side by side in safety, dignity, and peace.
01:26 There's no going back to the status quo as it stood on October the 6th.
01:31 That means ensuring Hamas can no longer terrorize Israel and use Palestinian civilians as human shields.
01:39 It also means that when this crisis is over, there has to be a vision of what comes next,
01:45 and in our view, it has to be a two-state solution.
01:48 It means a concentrated effort from all the parties -- Israelis, Palestinians, regional partners, global leaders --
01:56 to put us on a path toward peace.
01:59 In the past few weeks, I've spoken to leaders throughout the region,
02:02 including King Abdullah of Jordan, President Sisi of Egypt, President Abbas of the Palestinian Authority,
02:08 and just yesterday with the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia,
02:11 about making sure there's real hope in the region for a better future.
02:16 It's about the need -- and I mean this sincerely -- about the need to work toward a greater integration for Israel
02:22 while insisting that the aspirations of the Palestinian people will be part -- will be part of that future as well.
02:30 I'm convinced one of the reasons Hamas attacked when they did -- and I have no proof of this,
02:35 it's just my instinct tells me -- is because of the progress we were making towards regional integration for Israel
02:41 and regional integration overall.
02:43 And we can't leave that work behind.
02:46 And one more word on this.
02:48 I continue to be alarmed about extremist settlers attacking Palestinians in the West Bank,
02:55 that pouring gasoline on fire is what it's like.
02:59 They -- this was a deal.
03:01 The deal was made, and they're attacking Palestinians in places that they're entitled to be.
03:07 It has to stop.
03:09 that have to be held accountable, and it has to stop now.
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