12. Question No. 12—Foreign AffairsGOLRIZ GHAHRAMAN (Green) to the Minister of Foreign AffairsQuestion No. 12—Foreign Affairs12. GOLRIZ GHAHRAMAN (Green) to the Minister of Foreign Affairs: Will he lead the Government to join the United Nations Secretary General the International Committee of the Red Cross and the majority of New Zealanders according to a recent poll to call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza; and if not why not?Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS (Minister of Foreign Affairs): In the eight weeks since Hamas unleashed its shocking terror on the people of Israel targeting civilians including young children we have witnessed a devastating level of human suffering and loss of life. As in today's motion we can all agree that a ceasefire—a permanent cessation of armed hostilities—would be the ultimate outcome we all seek. No one in this House wants this conflict in the Middle East but for a durable ceasefire to be viable the parties must take urgent steps towards establishing a ceasefire. We recognise again that that point is not straightforward. Simply calling for a ceasefire does not make one a reality. That's why we are calling on all parties and all countries with influence in the region to take urgent steps towards establishing a ceasefire now permanently.Golriz Ghahraman: Does he acknowledge the deaths of over 16000 Palestinians more than 7000 of whom are children and that the disproportionate targeting of civilians can never constitute an exercise of the right to self-defence?Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: We are concerned about such reports. They raise serious questions about whether international humanitarian law is being fully observed. Accountability for breaches of international humanitarian law is crucial. Whether these have been committed requires a decision from a competent judicial body such as the International Criminal Court. It is not for me to comment on specific cases without the facts and evidence. We support the gathering of evidence of possible war crimes for an International Criminal Court process.Golriz Ghahraman: Does he acknowledge the verified targeting of journalists doctors nurses medical facilities and entire civilian neighbourhoods and that this can never constitute an exercise of the lawful right to self-defence?Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: Of course we acknowledge that but we also wonder why there's such an absence of the mass assault and massacre on 7 October this year. Why are we hearing just one side of the story?" is what a lot of people with balance and fairness want to know.Golriz Ghahraman: Does he acknowledge the restriction by Israel of aid corridors into Gaza which has left over 2 million people without adequate access to water food and life-saving medicine and that cutting off of humanitarian aid to civilians is considered a war crime and therefore can never constitute the right to self-defence?Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: For a trained lawyer coming to a conclusion on a case before you've heard the evidence laid out for you is not a sound way of behaving. That's what a legal training means. You first hear the evidence and then against the principles of precedent we then make a decision. We're not going to make a judgment without any facts before we come to that judgment.Golriz Ghahraman: When will Aotearoa take a strong international position calling for the prevention of genocide as is our obligation pursuant to the genocide convention; to protect the rights of children as is our obligation pursuant to the UN convention on the rights of children; and to act in the interests of global peace and security where war crimes are alleged?Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: As in the previous answers when we have seen international bodies charged with the conclusions that might arise from such an investigation coming to those conclusions and not beforehand by making allegations without again laying out the factual evidence or the balance of 7 October this year when out of left field with no information or forewarning at all so many hundreds and hundreds of people have lost their lives and then people were made hostages. Again we want to see balance and fairness when we approach these international issues and not just one side of the story."