Coalition at odds with US on Middle East ceasefire

Opposition home affairs spokesman James Paterson is at odds with the US on the need for a ceasefire in Gaza and de-escalation in Lebanon.

About 2700 people fleeing conflict in Lebanon have now landed in Australia, as the federal government prepares to start ending flights.

A year on from Hamas' October 7 attack on Israel, fighting has widened in the region from Gaza to Lebanon, Yemen and Iran.

US Vice President Kamala Harris said her administration was working to secure a ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon.

Asked about being in disagreement with the nation's closest ally, Senator Paterson said Australia was a sovereign country.

"It wouldn't be remarkable for an Australian politician to disagree with an American politician, particularly the United States administration under President Biden and Vice President Harris, a centre-left administration," he told ABC's Insiders.

"I'm from a centre-right political party, there'll be times that we disagree, and mature adults can be open and honest."

Asked if he wanted to see a ceasefire enforced, Senator Paterson said the opposition wanted to see an end to the conflict.

"In my view, that will only happen once Hamas releases the hostages and once Hamas is degraded, so they no longer pose an ongoing threat to Israel from Gaza," he said.

Labor failed to secure bi-partisanship on a motion commemorating the first anniversary of October 7, which Assistant Trade Minister Tim Ayres labelled "deeply disappointing".

"The opposition chose to hang out with Adam Bandt (Greens leader) their supposed opponents, the two extremes of Australian politics coming together," he told Sky News.

More than 1200 Israelis were killed when Hamas launched its attack last year, taking hundreds more hostage.

Almost 42,000 Palestinians have been killed since Israel began its retaliatory strikes, with the majority of the strip's population facing displacement and starvation.

Interest in free seats out of Beirut has declined sharply in recent days with fewer than 180 aboard two flights to Cyprus that departed on Friday.

The last two government-chartered flights will leave Beirut on Sunday before the Australian government pulls the pin on the evacuation operation.

Australians and their family members still in Lebanon will need to resort to local carrier Middle East Airlines or other commercial airlines.

One final Qantas flight is due to leave Cyprus on Wednesday evening.

The flights followed an escalation in Israel's year-long scuffle with the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah in recent weeks, with a campaign of intense bombings across Lebanon including its capital Beirut.

More than 2200 people have been killed and another 1.2 million have been displaced across a nation about the size of Sydney.