Liberal MPs are scheduled to meet in what is expected to be their last party meeting of the year, a day after Canada changed its position to join international calls for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

Canada's vote at the United Nations General Assembly was a departure from its long-standing policy of voting alongside Israel at the international body, which voted on Tuesday by an overwhelming majority to demand a humanitarian ceasefire.

The resolution came amid a struggle within Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberal Party over how to respond to the conflict sparked by an attack launched by Hamas militants in Israel on October 7.

In his speech to MPs and staff gathered at a holiday party on Tuesday evening, Trudeau acknowledged that the echoes of the war are resonating worldwide and within the Liberal Party.

He said he knows it has been "very difficult" for many and that he has spoken with those directly affected by the conflict, describing what he called the "difficult but necessary conversations" taking place within the party as a product of its diversity.

Hours earlier, Salma Zahid, the Liberal MP who helped organize an open letter signed by more than 20 other government MPs urging Canada to push for a ceasefire, welcomed her vote.

She issued a statement after Tuesday's vote thanking her fellow MPs who "raised their voices for peace," as well as the thousands who took to the streets in a "peaceful protest" to push for the ceasefire.

But other Liberal MPs, including Anthony Housefather and former Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino, said they disagree with Canada’s vote.

The Householder said on social media that a cessation of hostilities demands Hamas, a terrorist entity listed in Canada, release the hostages it holds, and said it alone is responsible for the war, adding "I do not agree with our vote at the United Nations today."

Mendicino also said he disagrees with Canada's position on the resolution, adding, "I do not support its call for Israel to agree to what is effectively an unconditional ceasefire, at present, which will only put the safety and security of Israelis and Palestinians in Gaza at further risk."

The latest war between Israel and Hamas began after Hamas fighters launched a surprise attack in Israel on October 7, killing 1,200 people, including hundreds of civilians, and taking about 240 hostages.

Israel responded with airstrikes and a military ground assault on the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, cutting off its access to many vital supplies, and local authorities say more than 18,000 Palestinians have been killed.

The federal Conservatives have called on Hamas to surrender unconditionally to Israel and release all hostages, and did not directly address the vote on Tuesday.

But Heather McPherson, the New Democratic Party’s foreign affairs critic, praised the move and said the time has come.

Trudeau’s government has faced tremendous pressure from Canadian Jewish and Muslim advocacy groups over its stance.

The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs said in a statement on Tuesday it felt "shocked and disgusted" by Canada’s vote at the United Nations, saying the country was turning its back on the Jewish community and Israel’s right to defend itself.

In explaining the Canadian shift, Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly said that while Canada believes in Israel’s right to defend itself, it is important how it defends itself.

She told reporters on Tuesday: “What is unfolding before our eyes will only serve to fuel the cycle of violence.”