Australian Parliament Votes to Condemn Hamas, Calls for Ceasefire

Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (C) walks with members of the Melbourne Jewish community during a vigil held on the first anniversary of the Israel-Hamas conflict, in Melbourne, Australia on Oct. 7, 2024. William West/AFP via Getty Images

Despite strong opposition from the Coalition, Australia’s lower house has passed a condolence motion for the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel, with 85 MPs voting in favour.

The motion not only condemned the attack on Israel but also mourned the loss of innocent civilians, including Palestinian lives, and acknowledged the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Albanese reiterated Australia’s longstanding position on protecting civilian life in accordance with international law and recognised the devastation wrought by the conflict.

“I support ongoing international efforts to provide humanitarian assistance in Gaza and Lebanon,” Albanese told Parliament on Oct. 8.

In his speech, Albanese began by reflecting on the first anniversary of the Oct. 7 attacks in Israel, emphasising the acts of terrorism that claimed 1,200 lives.

“This parliament stands together to condemn the barbaric actions of Hamas on October 7,” Albanese said.

“Hamas sought only to kill and terrify. They perpetrated their crimes without mercy and without discrimination. Men, women, and children were subjected to acts of degradation and humiliation. We reflect on all that happened and all the devastation that has followed. We think of all whose lives and futures were stolen from them that day.”

The prime minister’s comments come amid growing tensions in the region, with escalating conflict in Gaza and Lebanon as Israel responds to military aggression from terror-linked cells.

Albanese’s support for international efforts to de-escalate the conflict and his call for a ceasefire were central to the motion.

The motion reiterates the Parliament’s “unequivocal condemnation” of Hamas’ terror attacks on Israel that resulted in the deaths of 1,200 innocent Israelis being killed—the “largest loss of Jewish life on any single day since the Holocaust.”

It also condemns Irans “destabilising actions” through terrorist organisations Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis, and its attacks on Israel.

At the same time, the motion also calls for a break in the “cycle of violence” and supports “international efforts to de-escalate for a ceasefire in Gaza and in Lebanon and for lasting peace and security for Israeli, Palestinian, Lebanese and all people in the region.”

The wording of the motion and its focus on broader geopolitical issues drew criticism from the Coalition, led by Opposition Leader Peter Dutton.

Opposition Refuses to Back Motion, Says Labor Trying to Play Domestic Politics

Dutton accused the Labor government of leveraging it the motion for “political domestic advancement” rather than staying true to its original purpose—honouring the victims of the Oct. 7 terrorist attack.

“The motion includes language stressing the need to break the cycle of violence and supporting international efforts for de-escalation, a ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon, and lasting peace for Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, and the region,” Dutton said.

He argued that the motion should focus solely on commemorating the 1,200 Israeli lives lost in the attacks by Hamas.

“This was meant to commemorate the loss of human life, but the prime minister is attempting to cater to both sides, which we cannot support.”

He described the motion as an extension of the way Albanese has handled the broader Israel-Palestine conflict over the past year.

The Labor government has been caught in a politically difficult situation trying to balance the interests of its western Sydney electorates—which have a higher Muslim population—and aligning with broader international condemnation of Hamas and Hezbollah.

“Regrettably, we’ve not been able to arrive at a position of bipartisanship in relation to this matter,” Dutton said.

The motion was backed by independent MPs including the “teals” with the Greens being absent.

Zoe Daniel, the federal teal member for Goldstein in Melbourne, said she disagreed with the opposition.

“I note the opposition leader’s comments arguing that mentioning both sides in this conversation is unhelpful today. Respectfully, I disagree.

“The pain of more than one group of people can coexist no matter where that pain began. Shouting at each other in this place does not cancel out anyone’s pain, either. I would argue actually that that’s what’s unhelpful. This isn’t a political conversation, or it shouldn’t be.”

PM Raises Concerns Over Rising Anti-Semitism

Meanwhile, Albanese acknowledged the impact the ongoing conflict had on the Jewish community in Australia, noting a rise in anti-semitism since the Oct. 7 attacks.

His government, he said, stood with “Jewish Australians who have felt the cold shadows of antisemitism reaching into the present day.”

Jewish student and staff unions have called for a judicial inquiry into growing anti-semitism on Australian university campuses.

Noah Loven, a representative from the Australian Union of Jewish Students, recently appeared before a Senate Committee chaired by Labor Senator Nita Green to outline the severity of the situation.

He warned that anti-semitism would become more entrenched if universities did not take action.

PM Backs Israel’s Right to Defend Itself, Condemns Iranian Regime

In addition to supporting humanitarian efforts, Albanese also took a firm stance against Iran’s involvement in the conflict, condemning its attacks on Israel.

In the wake of recent rallies where protestors were found with pictures and placards supporting Hamas and Hezbollah, PM said Labor would not “tolerate any support for organisations like Hamas or Hezbollah.”

“Symbols of terror have no place in Australia. They undermine our nation’s security, disrupt our social fabric, and threaten the unity we have worked so hard to build,” he said.

“As we mourn and reflect, we also reaffirm our commitment to the principle that every civilian life matters—every Palestinian, every Lebanese, every Israeli. Every innocent life lost is a tragedy, and we must continue to work towards lasting peace and security for all.”