Australia asks Israel for access to detainees | Midday News Bulletin 3 October 2025

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Source: SBS News

In this bulletin, Australia appeals to Israel over citizens detained from Gaza aid flotilla, police identify the suspect in the Manchester synagogue attack. And in football, Nottingham Forest fans turn on coach Ange Postecoglou after an historic defeat.


Key Points
  • DFAT asks Israel for information about Australians detained from flotilla
  • Manchester synagogue attacker suspect identified after shooting death
  • Nottingham Forest fans turn on team coach Ange Postecoglou
Listen to Australian and world news, and follow trending topics with SBS News Podcasts.

TRANSCRIPT

Health Minister Mark Butler says the government has asked for clear information from Israel about a group of Australians believed to be detained there.

But he has told Channel Seven's Sunrise that while the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has submitted a formal request to Israeli authorities for consular access to its citizens, the government continues to advise Australians not to take part in future activities.

"We have provided clear advice - I have to say - for Australians not to take part in these attempts to break the naval blockade because of obvious safety risks that are involved here. I get that Australians want to see aid flow, particularly basic aid like food and medicines to civilians in Gaza. But for those who are detained of course we will be providing consular service to them."

Liberal Senator Jane Hume has told Channel Seven's Sunrise the activists put themselves in danger.

"We can all respect the sincere concerns of Australians that are on that flotilla. However, this is not the way to go about it. The concerns that people have for the humanitarian crisis in Gaza are very real and perfectly understandable. If people would like to help they should go to maybe Oxfam or Save the Children or UNICEF. There are organisations that are fit for purpose to help with humanitarian crisis."
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Meanwhile, the Department of Foreign Affairs has told SBS News they are calling on Israel to "enable the sustained, unimpeded flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza".

DFAT confirms Australians in Tel Aviv are liaising with Israeli authorities on the matter.

But the federal department has reportedly encountered some difficulties.

In other countries such as Greece, there seems to be more indication on the wellbeing of activists on board.

According to the country'sstate broadcaster, Greece's Foreign Minister said "All passengers are in good health, and no violence has been exercised".
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Additional security will be deployed at synagogues across the UK, after a deadly attack on a synagogue in the northern England city of Manchester.

Greater Manchester Police have confirmed an assailant drove a car into people outside the synagogue and then began stabbing them, killing two and seriously wounding four in a terrorist attack on the holiest day of the Jewish year.

British police say they believe the man responsible was a 35-year-old British citizen of Syrian descent.

Police responding to the scene fatally shot the suspect.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has offered a promise to do everything in his power to guarantee the security the UK's Jewish people deserve.

He says that starts with a more visible police presence.

"I promise you that over the coming days, you will see the other Britain, the Britain of compassion, of decency, of love."
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Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has condemned a synagogue attack in the British city of Manchester that has claimed the lives of two people.
He has called it a heinous attack on the most sacred day on the Jewish calendar.

Mr Albanese says there is no place for terrorism in our streets, and that all Australians stand with the UK at this dreadful time.

Opposition leader Sussan Ley [[Lee]] has also extended solidarity from the Coalition, saying that the incident may cause many Jews around the world to be concerned about outwardly expressing their faith.
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A search has resumed for the remains of a three-year-old who disappeared more than half a century ago during a day at the beach on the New South Wales South Coast.

Police say Cheryl Gene Grimmer was abducted on January 12 in 1970, outside a shower block at Fairy Meadow Beach in Wollongong.

In the following decades, numerous searches have found little to indicate what happened to her - but New South Wales Police are now mounting a fresh search with the assistance of specialist officers after receiving information from a member of the public.

Cheryl's brother Ricky Nash has told Win News Illawarra it's a difficult time for the family.

"I don't want to be here. But I have to be here. My brothers - we're the same, you know. Now they know."
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India says its latest agreement with Australia on the space race will promote cooperation that will benefit everyone.

An agreement was signed last year between India's elite space agency and the Australian Space Agency on the Human Spaceflight, as India plans to send a three-member crew to space.

It means the second Optimus spacecraft from Australia's Space Machines Company will be launched in 2026 by India’s NewSpace India Limited organisation, which would make it the largest Australian-made spacecraft sent into orbit.

The chairman of the *Indian Space Research Organisation, Dr V. Narayanan, who is in Sydney for the 76th International Astronautical Congress, has told SBS Tamil he has high hopes for what they can achieve together.

"We strongly believe if somebody has to succeed in the space program, it is not like 50 years back - where individually you do and you go. We have high cooperation and space diplomacy is a mandatory requirement. And we are having high cooperation with most of the countries, including Australia. In fact we will sign the MOU really recently and they are highly cooperative people. Highly cooperative country. And we are doing, really going together in every way."
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In football, Australian Ange Postecoglou has copped the wrath of Nottingham Forest fans, as the side has fallen to another defeat.

Postecoglou is now winless in six matches as coach at Forest, after three goals to two defeat in the Europa League to Danish side Midtylland.

He's the first permanent Forest coach in 100 years to be winless through his first six games, and fans booed and chanted against him at one point in this match.

Postecoglou's next chance to get his first win as Nottingham Forest boss comes away to Newcastle United in the Premier League this weekend.

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