The Australian prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has said the world must “distinguish between Hamas and Palestinian citizens” and mourn all civilian deaths, as he defended the government’s response to the escalating crisis in Gaza.
Amid growing pressure from within Labor party ranks and the Greens to take a stronger line against Israel’s actions in the war, the government also faced criticism from the Coalition for countenancing steps towards a ceasefire.
In question time on Monday, Albanese said he had told Israeli and Palestinian leaders that every life on both sides matters, including “every child, every baby, every innocent civilian”, raising concerns about international law as well as social cohesion in Australia.
“We have said that we want humanitarian pauses as a necessary first step. We have said that any step on a path to ceasefire can’t be one-sided. Hamas is still bombing Israel, it’s still using human shields and it’s holding more than 200 hostages,” he said.
“I said really consistently that Hamas has contempt for international law. They’re a terrorist organisation. But Israel as a democratic nation has a responsibility to uphold international law and protect innocent lives and to protect civilians, including children.”
A pro-Palestine rally on the front lawns of Parliament House on Monday was heavily critical of the government’s response, with chants accusing Albanese and the foreign minister, Penny Wong, of supporting what the protesters described as “genocide” in Gaza, by not speaking more forcefully against Israel’s actions or in favour of a ceasefire.
The Coalition pursued the government in the House of Representatives and the Senate over Wong’s statement on Sunday that “we all want to take the next steps towards a ceasefire, but it cannot be one-sided”.
The opposition leader, Peter Dutton, on Monday branded those comments as “reckless”.
Albanese said it was “vital at this time that people in positions of leadership exercise that leadership in a responsible way and seek to bring people together”.
The Coalition’s foreign affairs spokesperson, Simon Birmingham, challenged Wong to explain how her comments were “consistent with the position of Australia’s closest allies and partners”.
Wong said Birmingham had taken her comment out of context, because she had also pointed out that Hamas was still attacking Israel and still holding hostages.
Wong said both she and Birmingham believed that the dismantlement of Hamas would be required as part of any durable peace. “Hamas is a terrorist organisation with a stated aim, which is the destruction of the state of Israel, and Hamas has shown complete contempt for international law,” Wong told the Senate.
“We are a democracy and so, too, is Israel and because of who we are we seek higher standards and we accept higher standards, and those standards include the application of international humanitarian law.”
In the lower house, the Greens leader, Adam Bandt, asked when the government would publicly call for a ceasefire, citing comments from the French president, Emmanuel Macron.
“We have said very clearly that Israel does have a right to defend itself. We have also said that the way that it does matters – and we must distinguish between Hamas and Palestinian citizens,” Albanese responded.
“We have said the same thing consistently. I have said the same thing to [Israeli] President Herzog, to Prime Minister Netanyahu, and to the head of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, who I spoke with last week.
“I have said very clearly that every Israeli and every Palestinian life matters. Everyone – every child, every baby, every innocent civilian.”
Albanese said he had met Islamic and Jewish community leaders, raising concerns about social cohesion, and recognising that the Gaza conflict was “causing great distress for Jewish Australians, for Palestinian Australians, and for people of Islamic faith”.
Outside parliament several hundred people demonstrated against Palestinian civilian deaths from Israel’s operation against Hamas. Dozens of Palestinian flags flew alongside homemade banners bearing messages including “free Palestine”, “ceasefire now” and “stop war crimes”, as well as a number of CFMEU and NTEU union flags.
Much of the pro-Palestine rally focused on anti-Labor rhetoric, with several speakers and many demonstrators critical of the government’s response.
One speaker criticised Albanese’s response to the war so far, noting his previous strong public support for Palestinian causes.
Convoys of supporters from Sydney, Melbourne and Newcastle travelled to Canberra for the event, which heard from Christian and Islamic leaders and Indigenous speakers.
Guardian Australia reported on the weekend that the government is facing backlash from some members of the Muslim community and other multicultural communities, while several Labor MPs have raised concerns that not backing calls for a ceasefire could have an electoral impact.
In his speech to the rally, Bandt said: “We need a ceasefire now and an end to the occupation.
“What our government says matters.”
