Roughly one in five Australians think the prevention of food, medicine and water reaching civilians in Gaza is unjustified, according to new polling released overnight conducted by YouGov for Oxfam Australia, ActionAid Australia and several other charities.

Roughly two-thirds of the 1500 voters surveyed between May 16 and 21 thought the Australian government should do more to help civilians in Gaza.

“With 9000 trucks waiting to enter Gaza, and at least 500 trucks of aid required per day to support the needs of the population, the small amount we’ve seen so far enter Gaza represents a trickle of water into an ocean of need,” Oxfam Australia acting chief executive Dr Chrisanta Muli said. “Australians want their government to take a stronger stance to halt the devastating destruction of Gaza and its people. 

“They are clearly saying, ‘The status quo is unacceptable’.”

ActionAid Australia executive director Michelle Higelin described the situation as “hell on earth”.

Israel’s strikes at the weekend killed at least 38 people, including a mother and her two children sheltering in a tent, local health officials in Gaza said.

The deaths came as more details emerged about Gaza pediatrician Alaa al-Najjar’s loss of nine of her 10 children in a strike on her home on Friday.

Her surviving 11-year-old boy Adan and husband Hamdi al-Najjar were also injured and being cared for in the Nasser Hospital where she works.

Dr Milena Angelova-Chee on Sunday told the BBC Hamdi was in the critical care unit, colleagues told her Adan was doing “reasonably well” and that Alaa was going through “unspeakable suffering”.

“He has sustained significant injury to his brain, to his lungs and to his right arm,” she said, of the husband.

“At the moment, he’s under sedation and he is going to be slowly woken up to see how he is going to be, and he developed a kidney injury, as well, as a consequence of the severity of the other injuries.

“His life remains in danger, and we are doing everything we can for him.”

The home was struck minutes after Hamdi had driven his wife to the hospital. His brother Ismail al-Najjar, was first to arrive at the scene.

“They were innocent children,” the brother said, with the youngest seven months old. 

“And my brother has no business with (Palestinian) factions.”

A fellow Nasser doctor said the dead children’s remains were brought to the morgue in a single body bag.

Israel on Saturday said “the claim regarding harm to uninvolved civilians is under review.” It says it tries to avoid harming civilians and blames Hamas for their deaths because it operates in densely populated areas. There was no immediate comment from the military on the latest strikes.

Asked about Gaza on Saturday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese restated his government’s call for a ceasefire, an end to hostilities and the release of hostages, while saying Australia was not a “major” player in the Middle East”.

“People have a look at that innocent loss of life, including children and people who have done nothing wrong but be in the wrong place at the wrong time,” he said.

“They deserve protection.”

Foreign Minister Penny Wong last week joined with more than 20 of her counterparts from countries such as the UK, New Zealand, France and Germany to warn the population in Gaza was facing starvation and call for “desperately” needed aid to be delivered. 

Hamas-led militants killed some 1200 people, mostly civilians, in the October 7 attack and abducted 251 people. About a third of the remaining hostages are believed to be alive, after most of the rest were released in ceasefire agreements or other deals.

Israel’s 19-month offensive has killed more than 53,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which says women and children make up most of the dead. It does not provide figures for the number of civilians or combatants killed.

The offensive has destroyed vast areas of Gaza and displaced about 90 per cent of the territory’s population, often multiple times.

– Reported with Associated Press.