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A long-lost painting by the British graffiti artist Banksy has resurfaced in a swank art gallery in downtown Tel Aviv, an hour's drive and a world away from the concrete wall in the occupied West Bank where it was initially sprayed.

The relocation of the painting — which depicts a slingshot-toting rat and was likely intended to protest the Israel occupation — raises ethical questions about the removal of artwork from occupied territory and the display of such politically-charged pieces in radically different settings from where they were created.

The painting initially appeared near Israel's separation barrier in the occupied West Bank city of Bethlehem and was one of several works created in secret around 2007. They employed Banksy's trademark absurdist and dystopian imagery to protest Israel's decades-long occupation of territories the Palestinians want for a future state.

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Now it resides at the Urban Gallery in the heart of Tel Aviv's financial district, surrounded by glass and steel skyscrapers.

"This is the story of David and Goliath," said Koby Abergel, an Israeli art dealer who purchased the painting, without elaborating on the analogy. He said the gallery was simply displaying the work, leaving its interpretation to others.

The Associated Press could not independently confirm the authenticity of the piece, but Abergel said the cracks and scrapes in the concrete serve as "a fingerprint" that proves it is the same piece that appears on the artist's website.

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The 70-kilometre journey it made from the West Bank to Tel Aviv is shrouded in secrecy. The 408-kilogram concrete slab would have had to pass through Israel's serpentine barrier and at least one military checkpoint — daily features of Palestinian life and targets of Banksy's biting satire.

Abergel, who is a partner with the Tel Aviv gallery, said he bought the concrete slab from a Palestinian associate in Bethlehem. He declined to disclose the sum he paid or identify the seller, but insisted on the deal's legality.

The graffiti artwork was spray-painted on a concrete block that was part of an abandoned Israeli army position in Bethlehem, next to a soaring concrete section of the separation barrier.

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Some time later, the painting was itself subjected to graffiti by someone who obscured the painting and scrawled "RIP Bansky Rat" on the block. Palestinian residents cut out the painting and kept it in private residences until earlier this year, Abergel said.

He said the relocation involved delicate negotiations with his Palestinian associate and careful restoration to remove the acrylic paint sprayed over Banksy's work. The massive block was then enclosed in a steel frame so it could be lifted onto a flatbed truck and rolled through a checkpoint, until it arrived in Tel Aviv in the middle of the night.

It was not possible to independently confirm his account of its journey.

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The piece now stands on an ornately patterned tile floor, surrounded by other contemporary art. Baruch Kashkash, the gallery's owner, said the roughly 2-square-metre block was so heavy it had to be brought inside by a crane, and could barely be moved from the doorway.

Israel controls all access to the West Bank, and Palestinians require Israeli permits to travel in or out and to import and export goods. Even when traveling within the West Bank, they can be stopped and searched by Israeli soldiers at any time.

Israeli citizens, including Jewish settlers, can travel freely in and out of the 60 per cent of the West Bank that is under full Israeli control. Israel prohibits its citizens from entering areas administered by the Palestinian Authority for security reasons, but there's little enforcement of that ban.

The Palestinians have spent decades seeking an independent state in the West Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem, territories captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war. The peace process ground to a halt more than 10 years ago.

Abergel said the artwork's move was not coordinated with the Israeli military, and that his Palestinian associates, whom he declined to name, were responsible for moving it into Israel and crossing through military checkpoints. He said he has no plans to sell the piece.

According to the international treaty governing cultural property to which Israel is a signatory, occupying powers must prevent the removal of cultural property from occupied territories. It remains unclear exactly how the 1954 Hague Convention would apply in this instance.

"This is theft of the property of the Palestinian people," said Jeries Qumsieh, a spokesperson for the Palestinian Tourism Ministry. "These were paintings by an international artist for Bethlehem, for Palestine, and for visitors to Bethlehem and Palestine. So transferring them, manipulating them and stealing them is definitely an illegal act."

The Israeli military and COGAT, the Israeli Defence Ministry body responsible for coordinating civilian affairs with the Palestinians, said they had no knowledge of the artwork or its relocation.

Banksy has created numerous artworks in the West Bank and Gaza Strip in recent years, including one depicting a girl conducting a body search on an Israeli soldier, another showing a dove wearing a flak jacket, and a masked protester hurling a bouquet of flowers. He also designed the "Walled Off Hotel" guesthouse in Bethlehem, which is filled with his artwork.

A spokesperson for Banksy did not respond to requests for comment.

This is not the first time the street artist's work has been lifted from the West Bank. In 2008, two other paintings — "Wet Dog" and "Stop and Search" — were removed from the walls of a bus shelter and butcher shop in Bethlehem. They were eventually bought by galleries in the United States and Britain where they were exhibited in 2011.

Abergel says it's up to viewers to draw their own conclusions about the artwork and its implications.

"We brought it to the main street of Tel Aviv to be shown to the audience and to show his messages," said Abergel. "He should be happy with it."

Western Australian police have ventured into a storm drain on a busy freeway to rescue a trapped duckling.

Braving wild weather, officers rescued nine ducklings from the middle of the Mitchell Freeway in Perth and a tenth stuck in a drain.

The roadside operation shut down the lanes on the freeway after 10am on Tuesday.

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Police said they received multiple calls from people concerned about the two-day old birds.

They were taken to the Native Animal Rescue in Malaga.

A woman has had an unfortunate encounter with a koala on the side of a Queensland road.

Onlookers filmed as the moment with the marsupial on the Gold Coast proved too much for the woman.

She can be seen carefully approaching the koala, which at first is slowly edging towards her.

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The koala then leaps into the air, causing the woman to stumble and fall backwards.

It is unclear whether she was attempting to pat or assist the animal.

The video has gone viral since being shared online.

The incident is a timely reminder for motorists to be aware of koalas on roads, as Coomera Conservation Group revealed in the last couple of days several animals have been hit by cars.

Gold Coast Deputy Mayor Donna Gates said the council intended to install signage "so that traffic and drivers can become aware of koalas in the area".

Motorists should call a local rescue group if they come across an injured koala.

Two teenagers have been jailed after the fatal stabbing of 17-year-old Jack Beasley on the Gold Coast.

The boys were among five teenagers – aged between 15 and 18 at the time – who were charged after Jack was killed barely two weeks before Christmas in 2019.

Jack was stabbed in the heart and later died in hospital after a fight broke out between his group and the five teens in Surfers Paradise.

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A boy, who was 15 at the time, admitted he had stabbed Jack in the chest and another 17-year-old boy twice during the fight, puncturing a lung.

He was sentenced to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to murder and two counts of committing malicious acts with intent in May.

He must serve 70 per cent of the sentence.

Another teenager, who was 17 back in 2019, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and two counts of grievous bodily harm in April.

On Friday he also pleaded guilty to three other charges including robbery and assault offences in July 2019 and August 2020.

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He was sentenced to seven years in jail and must serve 50 per cent of the term.

The teen has been in custody for two-and-a-half years – considered time served – and is eligible for parole in 12 months' time.

Ma-Mal-J Toala, aged 18 at the time, and two teenage boys who can't be named were each found not guilty of manslaughter and two counts of grievous bodily harm by Justice Soraya Ryan last month.

The trio had pleaded not guilty to the three charges at a judge-only Supreme Court trial in May.

The five teenagers had a barbecue at Surfers Paradise before following Jack's group who were en route to a party, at one stage running two blocks in pursuit, a trial heard.

A 29-second fight – which was captured on CCTV – erupted after the five teens caught up with the group and one of them shoved Jack who responded by flicking a cigarette at him.

A man has been charged after a deadly shooting at a cattle farm in rural Queensland.

Mervyn and Maree Schwartz, along with Maree's adult son Graham Tighe were all found dead from gunshot wounds at the property near Bogie yesterday.

Graham had only just been introduced to his newborn son, his uncle told 9News.

The boy had been sick and was getting treatment in Brisbane Hospital so his father only got to spend a few days with him before he died.

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"He only just saw him," Maree's brother-in-law Greg Austen said.

"The baby was in Brisbane and got crook, had to take him to Brisbane so he only saw the boy for two or three days."

Maree's other son, Ross Tighe, survived and called police after being critically wounded.

The family, who had just moved into the sprawling $10 million property a year ago, had allegedly been locked in arguments with their neighbour about a fence boundary.

Austen said the meeting was arranged to discuss the boundary fence.

"They had been arguing for ages over a fence," Austen claimed.

The man accused of pulling the trigger, Darryl Young, had arranged a meeting at the gate between the two properties yesterday morning, police said.

The alleged gunman, who was known to police, had been a long-time resident at Bogie.

"Traditionally, graziers get on very well with each other if there is a dispute its usually over cattle or fences down," Mike Brunker from Whitsunday Regional Council said.

This afternoon the 59-year-old was charged with three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder.

He will appear at Proserpine Magistrates Court on August 8.

Earlier, Queensland Police revealed more details about how the tragedy unfolded.

The weapon used in the deadly shooting was a rifle, Mackay district Superintendent Tom Armitt said.

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