Foreign Minister Penny Wong has welcomed a deal on Israeli hostages as a necessary step towards peace in the Middle East, as Australia receives an increasing number of Israeli and Palestinian visa applications.
Israel's government and Hamas, considered a terrorist organisation by the Australian government, have agreed to a four-day pause in fighting to allow the release of 50 hostages held in Gaza in exchange for 150 Palestinians imprisoned in Israel.
The deal also allows entry of humanitarian aid into the besieged territory.
Senator Wong said the move would help progress towards a sustainable ceasefire that was not "one-sided".
"This is an important and necessary step, but what we must ultimately work towards is a long-term enduring peace," she told reporters in Adelaide on Wednesday.
"A long-term enduring peace requires a two-state solution, with Israelis and Palestinians living securely and prosperously within internationally recognised borders."
Australia has been working with other nations to help support and protect civilians in an effort to prevent the violence from spreading, Senator Wong said.
Between October 7 and November 20, the Department of Home Affairs has approved 860 visas for Palestinians with connections to Australia, according to reports from the ABC.
It is unclear how many of those visa holders are in Gaza, Israel or the West Bank, but with the Australian government having repatriated a total 127 - including citizens and permanent residents - from Gaza, many likely remain in the conflict zone.
The government has also issued 1793 visas to Israeli citizens.
Opposition immigration spokesman Dan Tehan criticised the government for not broadly releasing the visa information.
"The government needs to come out, be transparent and let us know what processes have been undertaken, on what basis the visa has been granted and what security checks are being undertaken," he told Sky on Wednesday.
" All we're learning is via the media and we need transparency."
Senator Wong said those who had obtained Australian visas were subject to appropriate security checks.
"These people have been subjected to the same security checks by the Australian Border Force and authorities as you would expect any visa applicant would be required to make."
Hamas is believed to be holding more than 200 hostages, taken when its fighters surged into Israel on October 7, killing 1200 people according to Israeli tallies.
Israel has since launched a continuous bombing campaign on the densely populated area and implemented a total blockade on food, fuel, water and medical supplies, only allowing a small number of aid trucks through.
As a result, more than 13,300 civilians have been killed in Palestine and about two-thirds of Gaza's 2.3 million people have been left homeless, according to authorities in Gaza.
A statement by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said 50 women and children would be released over four days, during which there will be a pause in fighting.
For every additional 10 hostages released, the pause would be extended by another day, it said, without mentioning the release of Palestinian prisoners in exchange.
Israel had committed not to attack or arrest anyone in all parts of Gaza during the truce period, it added.
The accord is the first truce since October 7 but Mr Netanyahu has said Israel would continue the war until it had achieved all of its goals, which includes "destroying Hamas".
Hamas has to date released four captives.
With Reuters
