Pushed from all sides, why is Labor now joining calls for a ceasefire in Gaza?

ANALYSIS: Labor has faced domestic pressure over its stance on the Hamas-Israel war. Did shifting international rhetoric give it an opening to act?

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says the price of defeating Hamas cannot be 'the continuous suffering of all Palestinian civilians'. Source: AAP / Lukas Coch

KEY POINTS:

• Australia has joined 152 other countries at the UN in calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.
• But the government says Hamas must release hostages and play no role in Gaza's government.
• The Israeli ambassador has described the vote as "difficult to understand".

This government views calm centrism, pursuing the middle road through challenges, as its political strength.

But squaring its support for Israel with a mounting Palestinian death toll, while keeping bubbling domestic tensions at bay, was always going to test that theory.

Its calls for restraint were immediately decried as "disgraceful" by the Opposition, and weak by supporters of the Palestinians who fear no restraint is coming.

On Wednesday, the government took its clearest rhetorical step away from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government.

Australia joined 152 other countries in calling for a ceasefire at the UN. Source: AAP / Sarah Yenesel

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese declared Hamas' defeat cannot come at the cost of "the continuous suffering of all Palestinian civilians", hours before Australia backed calls for a ceasefire in the United Nations (UN).

"We want to see this [humanitarian] pause resumed and support urgent international efforts towards a sustainable ceasefire," Albanese said in a statement that was also signed by the leaders of Canada and New Zealand.

But there were conditions: no Hamas role in Gaza's future government, and the release of the roughly 130 hostages still in its custody.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong stresses the need for Hamas to release hostages and not play any role in a future government of Gaza. Source: AAP / Lukas Coch

Australia's justification for backing the UN resolution, delivered to journalists' inboxes within minutes of the vote, also explained it would have preferred stronger condemnation of Hamas' 7 October attack.

But it wasn't enough to placate the Opposition or Israel's ambassador to Australia, Amir Maimon.

"I find it difficult to understand how Australia can support Israel’s right to defend its people from terrorist aggression, while also voting in support of a ceasefire that will embolden Hamas and enable it to resume its attacks on Israelis," Maimon posted on X, formerly Twitter.

Not going it alone

After criticising the Morrison government for acting alone on the international stage, Labor was deliberately in lockstep with friends on Wednesday. Albanese one of three leaders signing the statement, Australia one of 153 countries backing the UN resolution.

But it was notable that Australia took a different tone from its AUKUS allies - the US voted no in the UN, the United Kingdom abstained

Labor's language has morphed slowly at times. Too slowly, its critics say. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade seemingly agonised over backing "humanitarian pauses" rather than a "humanitarian pause" last month, while humanitarian groups sounded the alarm over dwindling food and medicine in Gaza.

Joe Biden says 'indiscriminate attacks' are hurting support for Israel. Source: Getty / Chip Somodevilla

But scenes from the densely-populated strip - Gaza's health ministry says the Palestinian death toll has risen beyond 18,000 - are prompting Israel's friends to sharpen their language.

Even US President Joe Biden - an ally so staunch he once declared "if there were not an Israel, we'd have to invent one" - believes the tide of opinion is turning.

"Israel's security can rest on the United States, but right now it has more than the United States," he said on Wednesday.

"It has the European Union, it has Europe, it has most of the world ... But they're starting to lose that support by indiscriminate bombing that takes place."

Domestic pressures

The international community's hardening view may have provided the space to move, but the home front is clearly on the government's mind.

SBS News understands some ministerial offices have called in extra staff as they struggle to cope with a tsunami of calls demanding a ceasefire.

Labor senator Fatima Payman has called for a ceasefire since the early days of the conflict. Source: AAP / Mick Tsikas

MPs are also speaking privately about their phone ringing off the hook, angrily told they went too far - or not far enough - in their condemnation of either side.

The Coalition has always maintained its opposition to a ceasefire, home affairs spokesman James Paterson on Wednesday describing the UN vote as a "shameful abandonment" of a key friend.

But divisions in society are being openly played out in Labor's caucus, which is already less accustomed to public debate than the Coalition's.

Frontbencher Ed Husic appeared to accuse Israel of war crimes in October, alleging it was carrying out "collective punishment" of Palestinians.

Inevitably asked about the comments hours later, Treasurer Jim Chalmers incorrectly claimed they were "identical" to those made by Albanese and Wong. Neither have used that term.

Challenged on his claim, Chalmers then insisted he would not "get into parsing the language used by our colleagues".

Josh Burns (second from right) criticised the idea of a ceasefire on Wednesday. He joined Simon Birmingham (fourth from right) and fellow Labor MP Michelle Ananda-Rajah (right) on a trip to Israel this week. Credit: X - formerly Twitter

His unease hinted at the tension bubbling below the surface; the need for a united front as fears over social cohesion mount, while also allowing a diverse caucus to reflect a diverse community.

Husic continues to speak out forcefully.

Backbencher Fatima Payman, seen by many as having a future in foreign affairs, has repeatedly demanded her seniors take a stronger line.

But two other Labor MPs - Josh Burns and Michelle Ananda-Rajah - are currently touring Israel with Opposition foreign affairs spokesman Simon Birmingham, visiting the site of a Hamas massacre on 7 October.

Ed Husic has spoken out repeatedly. Source: AAP / Mick Tsikas

Burns poured cold water on the wisdom of a ceasefire just hours before the UN vote. "If Israel were to stop the pursuit of Hamas and Hamas were able to regroup, then there is a heightened risk of October 7 happening again," he said.

Wong, who has been juggling backbenchers' concerns for two months, tried to smooth the waters.

"Josh is right to point out that a sustainable ceasefire can't be one-sided and can't be unconditional. That is my position too."