By Dominic Giannini in Canberra

Australia’s support of a ceasefire in Gaza and for a Palestinian aid agency under siege by Israel has split the community.

The United Nations General Assembly overwhelmingly voted to support a permanent and unconditional ceasefire, the release of hostages, the delivery of humanitarian aid and the protection of civilians.

The motion passed with 158 members voting in support and nine against, with 13 abstaining at an emergency session on Thursday.

The humanitarian crisis was a key factor in Australia’s vote, with more than 44,000 people killed in Gaza, including more than 13,000 children.

Australia’s ambassador to the UN James Larsen said the demand for full, rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian assistance to Gaza was urgent as he branded the human suffering unbearable.

“Israel must take urgent action to alleviate this humanitarian crisis,” he said.

The vote was welcomed by humanitarian organisations and the Australia Palestine Advocacy Network.

It reflected a strong global consensus on the urgent need to end genocide in Gaza, the network’s president Nasser Mashni said, calling for concrete action like sanctions to follow.

The Executive Council of Australian Jewry slammed the motion, saying an unconditional ceasefire meant Israel would have to abandon hostages “and allow the Hamas terrorists to re-establish themselves as the de facto rulers of Gaza”.

“No country in the world should be expected to betray its own citizens as Israel is being called upon to do,” President Daniel Aghion said.

While the resolution called for the release of hostages, this wasn’t linked to the ceasefire, he said.

Further, it failed to condemn Hamas.

Not demanding a conditional ceasefire and failing to unequivocally condemn Hamas were shortcomings, Mr Larsen admitted as he called for the designated terrorist group to lay down arms and said it couldn’t play a role in Gaza’s governance.

Australia also voted to support the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in a second motion that passed with 159 in support, nine against and 11 abstaining.

The motion called for the Israeli Knesset to reverse laws banning the agency from operating in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory, which included Gaza and the West Bank.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong has repeatedly stated the agency was the only one with the capability to distribute aid at the scale needed in Gaza.

Israel’s ambassador to the UN said the agency had been infiltrated by Hamas – something it denies – and accused the general assembly of ignoring the hostages taken by the terrorist organisation on October 7.

Save the Children Australia CEO Mat Tinkler branded a stop in operations “a death sentence for so many children that depend on its services to stay alive”.

Opposition home affairs spokesman James Paterson chastised the votes, saying the federal government’s lack of support for Israel translated into anti-Semitism in Australia as people linked the Jewish community to Israel.

“They don’t draw any distinction between Israel and Jews, so when the Australian government abandons or even worse, vilifies Israel, anti-Semites take encouragement from that,” he said.

Recent anti-Semitic crimes include the firebombing of a Melbourne synagogue – being investigated as a likely terrorist attack – and anti-Israel graffiti sprayed on a building before a car was set on fire in Sydney.

Senator Paterson also attacked UNRWA after a handful of staff members were fired for being involved in Hamas’ terror attack, saying it was “unreformable” and Australia shouldn’t provide funding.

Australia suspended funding after the allegations and only reinstated it with a probity agreement attached and after intelligence agencies determined it wasn’t a terrorist organisation.