Thousands of people have rallied in Sydney and Melbourne amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.

In Sydney, 5000 people at Moore Park called for the return of the 240 Hamas-held Israeli hostages, while tens of thousands gathered at Hyde Park in support of Palestinians and a ceasefire in Gaza.

NSW Police said it deployed large numbers of officers, but there were no arrests and no incidents.

Thousands of protesters rallied in Melbourne.
Pro-Palestine marchers also rallied in Melbourne, starting at the State Library Victoria. (Photograph by Chris Hopkins)
In Sydney, 5000 people at Moore Park called for the return of the 240 Hamas-held Israeli hostages, while tens of thousands gathered at Hyde Park in support of Palestinians and a ceasefire in Gaza.
In Sydney, 5000 people at Moore Park called for the return of the 240 Hamas-held Israeli hostages, while tens of thousands gathered at Hyde Park in support of Palestinians and a ceasefire in Gaza. (Nine)

Pro-Palestine marchers also rallied in Melbourne, starting at the State Library Victoria.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong delivered a message to both sides.

“We all want to take the next steps towards a ceasefire, but it cannot be one-sided. Hamas still has hostages,” she told the ABC’s Insiders.

She had another message for Australia.

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“We cannot allow this conflict to divide us. We have to remember each other’s humanity, we have to remember that we are all Australian,” she said.