'We love these young people," the Prime Minister says, but a youth advocate believes they're being "punished for and economic crisis they didn't create."

A man was in the grips of a methamphetamine addiction when he broke into a relative's home and stole their firearms collection worth nearly $15,000.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade has confirmed a consular partner has been in contact with the New Zealanders detained in Israel.

An anti-trafficking expert says the idea that only 31 people are trafficked each year in New Zealand is very unlikely, given that an estimate puts modern slavery here at 8000 victims.

About 1000 people have marched from Wellington's Pukeahu War Memorial Park in the pouring rain, calling for the government to sanction Israel and recognise Palestinian statehood.