Federal government backs calls for humanitarian pause on hostilities in Israel-Hamas war

It comes as the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza prompts Australia to add its weight to calls for a pause on hostilities to allow unrestricted deliveries of humanitarian aid to the territory.

After defence officials confirmed in senate estimates that Australia issued more than 300 permits for exports of defence or dual use items to Israel since 2017, Senator Shoebridge on Wednesday voiced concerns that Australian equipment could be used in the Israel-Gaza conflict.

Speaking to reporters in Canberra, Senator Shoebridge said "nobody checks" how the equipment is used once it leaves the country.

"How can we have a situation where Australia exports millions of dollars of military equipment, whether it's to the Israeli military, or it's to Saudi Arabia or it's to countless other countries, where we know they are engaged in conflicts with significant human rights abuses?

"How can any Australian be sure that Australian weapons, Australian material is not currently being used in the war on Gaza?"

Strategy, policy and industry deputy secretary Hugh Jeffrey told estimates the export permits did not "go to lethal equipment" but rather to items such as radios, body armour, software and vehicle parts.

"While the export control regime doesn't exist extra territorially, if there is credible evidence that defence exports from any country has been used to commit human rights abuses that will inform how we deliberate on decisions on future permits," he said.

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Israeli air strikes killed 700 Palestinians in the Gaza strip in the most recent attacks, driving the death toll in the enclave to more than 5700 since Israel launched a retaliatory campaign for the brutal assault by Hamas militants on October 7.

The humanitarian situation within the enclave has prompted further calls for unrestricted aid deliveries to the territory and a ceasefire from the United Nations.

Australia has backed calls for a humanitarian pause on hostilities to allow food, water, medicine and other assistance to reach civilians in Gaza, with Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong issuing a statement on Wednesday saying while there has been some access in recent days, it was "nowhere near enough".

"We call for humanitarian pauses on hostilities, so food, water, medicine and other essential assistance can reach people in desperate need, and so civilians can get to safety," the statement read.

"The way Israel exercises its right to defend itself matters. It matters to civilians throughout the region, and it matters to Israel's ongoing security."

Asked about the calls on Wednesday, Israel's ambassador to Australia Amir Maimon said the humanitarian situation in Gaza was "fair". He told the National Press Club on Wednesday his country was in "full compliance under international law."

"For those of you who are unfamiliar with the law, it is important for me to emphasise that Israel in accordance with the law is not obliged to provide humanitarian assistance but to allow the passage of humanitarian aid as we are doing for the last few days," he said.

But dozens of protesters, who gathered in front of the press club to speak out against Mr Maimon's address, disagreed.

Palestine Action Group co-convener Nicholas Reich, who was one of the organisers of the protest, said Israel was guilty of war crimes.

"We want to call out Anthony Albanese, Penny Wong, the Australian government for slavishly supporting the line of the Israeli government in justifying and defending the war crimes that they're carrying out right now," he said.

- with AAP