Join investigation into sexual violence in Gaza: Pocock

Canada had used its status as a middle power to become a global leader in its response to the violence in Gaza "and Australia could take a leaf out of their book", independent senator David Pocock said.

We believe Palestinian women. — Mélanie Joly (@melaniejoly) Allegations on sexual and gender-based violence against them must be investigated and Palestinian women must be supported. Today, I announced in the West Bank that Canada will commit $1M to support this important work.March 12, 2024

"Our first priority has to be ramping up humanitarian aid and seeing that it is delivered to prevent more people dying of starvation and Gaza tipping over into full-scale famine," he told AAP.

"I think Canada's proposal for an investigation into gender-based violence should also be supported to look at the serious allegations against all participants in this conflict."

It wasn't up to Australia to determine how other nations responded to the conflict Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said as he pointed to the government working on further humanitarian aid for Gaza.

"We'll continue to look at avenues for further humanitarian support for the people of Gaza, who are suffering terribly," he said.

"The international community have a role to play in this and we'll continue to do our part."

Senator Pocock wants Australia to support Canada's call for an inquiry into gender-based violence. (Lukas Coch/AAP PHOTOS)

The US is building a temporary port in Gaza to allow aid to enter by sea.

Washington is also working on a plan to send aid to Gaza via a commercial operation that could ask allies to fund the effort, Reuters reported citing American officials.

Australia should join any aid operation, Palestine's envoy Izzat Abdulhadi told AAP.

Mr Abdulhadi, along with ambassadors and representatives from Islamic and Arab nations, will meet with officials from the prime minister's department on Friday.

They are expected to raise the issue of humanitarian aid as well as sexual violence in Palestine.

The flagged aid package comes as pressure ramps up on the Australian government to restore funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA).

It followed partner nations and Australia freezing payments to the agency in January following accusations by Israel that some staff had engaged in Hamas' attack.

The European Commission, Sweden and Canada have restored funding following assurances of more transparency and oversight.

Australia has flagged waiting for an investigation into the allegations to conclude before reinstating funding.

But Canberra's envoy to the UN has called on Israel to be forthcoming with evidence and aid the investigation so funding to UNRWA can be reinstated as soon as possible.

Israel wants UNRWA disbanded and replaced with an alternative body, arguing it had provided cover for Hamas.

Australia had damaged its reputation by defunding UNRWA "on the basis of unsubstantiated allegations", the former Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis told the National Press Club in Canberra on Wednesday.

More than 31,000 Palestinians have been killed since Israel, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, retaliated against Hamas in Gaza with a further 1.7 million people displaced, according to the local health ministry and United Nations.

Hamas - designated a terrorist group by the Australian government - killed 1200 Israelis and took more than 200 people hostage in an attack on October 7.

There was clear and convincing evidence hostages had been subject to sexual violence, a United Nations investigation found.