<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?> <docID>326509</docID> <postdate>2024-08-14 09:45:56</postdate> <headline>Don’t let Gaza asylum seekers in, says Dutton</headline> <body><p><img class="size-full wp-image-326514" src="https://citynews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/20240812183956192872-original-resized.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="601" /></p> <caption>Peter Dutton says it's too risky to allow people fleeing Gaza into Australia. (AP PHOTO)</caption> <p><span class="kicker-line">By <strong>Tess Ikonomou</strong> in Canberra</span></p> <p><strong>Palestinians fleeing war-torn Gaza shouldn't be allowed into Australia, Peter Dutton says. </strong></p> <p>The coalition has called on the Albanese government to strengthen security checks when granting visas to Palestinians, to prevent Hamas supporters entering the country.</p> <p>ASIO director-general Mike Burgess said on Sunday that Palestinians who had expressed rhetorical support for the listed terror group wouldn't automatically be barred.</p> <p>The opposition leader said Australians would be shocked that people being brought in from a war zone would not undergo a security check by ASIO.</p> <p>"I don't think people should be coming in from that war zone at all at the moment, it's not prudent to do so, and I think it puts our national our national security at risk," Mr Dutton told Sky News.</p> <p>"If people are coming in from that war zone, and we're uncertain about identity or their allegiances, Hamas is a listed terrorist organisation.</p> <p>"They've just committed an atrocity against the Jewish people."</p> <p>Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Mr Dutton was always trying to divide people.</p> <p>"We take our advice from the director-general of ASIO and the security agencies, not from someone always looking for a fight, always looking for division," he told ABC News.</p> <p>About 1200 Israelis were killed when Hamas launched its October 7 attack and almost 40,000 Palestinians have been killed due to Israel's military action in Gaza in response to the Hamas attack.</p> </body>