Opened the debate
Hodgins-May argued that the government's response consisted of empty words and insufficient sanctions targeting only two Israeli ministers. The senator contended that the severity of the crisis, including starvation and the killing of aid workers, warranted Magnitsky-style sanctions on the entire Israeli security cabinet and the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador. Hodgins-May cited testimony from a former psychologist and an Amnesty International spokesperson to illustrate the impact of collective punishment and the targeting of journalists. The senator also asserted that Australia remained complicit in the conflict by continuing to export parts for F-35 fighter jets used in strikes on civilian infrastructure.