Donald Trump has ‘opportunity’ to stabilise Middle East, Penny Wong says

US president-elect Donald Trump has an “opportunity” to stabilise the Middle East amid a fragile truce in Gaza, Foreign Minister Penny Wong says.

The guns fell silent in Gaza for the first time in 15 months on Sunday (local time) after the first phase of a ceasefire-for-hostages deal between Israel and Hamas came into force.

Senator Wong said the breakthrough was a “potential pathway to peace”.

“Of course, it’s difficult,” she told reporters from Washington.

“We’ve seen that because there have been so many false starts in terms of the ceasefire discussions, but we welcome the release of some hostages.

“There is the opportunity in the Middle East now for the Trump administration to take forward an agenda around greater stability and normalising, particularly given the weakened position of Iran, and that is a good thing for security in the region.”

Senator Wong is in the US capital for Mr Trump’s inauguration on Monday (local time).

Last week, she downplayed remarks she made in 2021 saying Mr Trump “was prepared to trash alliances and partnerships for personal political interest”.

Fighting in the Gaza Strip halted on Sunday (January 19) as a ceasefire deal between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas took effect after a brief delay, pausing a 15-month-old war that has brought devastation and seismic political change to the Middle East. Diane To reports.

Although, she did not directly say whether her view of the incoming US president had changed.

Hamas released three Israeli hostages on Sunday under the US and Qatari-brokered ceasefire.

In exchange, Israel is set to release 90 Palestinian prisoners.

The Albanese government has long been a vocal advocate for an end to the fighting in Gaza, largely due to the conflict’s high civilian death toll.

Anthony Albanese on Monday welcomed the release of the hostages.

“Of course, hostages should never have been taken in the first place, and the fact they’ve been kept for 15 months has prolonged the conflict in the region,” the Prime Minister told the ABC.

“Our thoughts are also with the remaining hostages … We must now see their full release and the ceasefire deal implemented in full, including increased aid into Gaza, where people have suffered enormously, innocent people.”