A motion advocating "immediate ceasefire" in Gaza was unanimously voted for in a city council meeting.

The amended proposal from the Oxford Socialist Independents was passed last night in Oxford's town hall.

Discussions took place in the context of 10 recent resignations of then-Labour councillors over the party's stance on conflict in Gaza.

READ MORE: Oxford council leader asked to call for Gaza ceasefire

There was only time to deliberate the first motion proposed on the topic but all members voted for it including city council leader Susan Brown.

She said: "I would prefer to be discussing the motion that I wrote.

"However I came into politics through the peace movement and I will be voting for the motion this evening not because I believe it is perfect - I do not - but because it is the only opportunity I will have tonight to register my support for the immediate release of hostages, to call for a ceasefire and to re-register out collective desire to bring our communities together."

Oxford Mail: The motion was passed at Oxford Town HallThe motion was passed at Oxford Town Hall (Image: Ed Nix.)

Professor Nick Maynard, a consultant surgeon in Oxford who said he had been travelling to Gaza for nearly 15 years to teach medical students was one of the first speakers to address the chamber.

He said: "By any definition of apartheid, the Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank are living under an apartheid system."

An Israeli British citizen who appeared visibly upset, said: "We lost loved ones during the last massacre."

There was an outburst from the public gallery following the speech which Ms Brown described as "exceptionally rude".

Another speech from Help of the World representative Maryam Ahmed cited "collective punishment" and referenced "women having to chemically suppress their period" which was followed by chants from outside the chamber calling for "ceasefire now".

Oxford Mail: A convoy of army vehicles near Israel's borderA convoy of army vehicles near Israel's border

Oxford Socialist Independents councillor Jabu Nala-Hartley, who experienced growing up in apartheid South Africa, said: "Nelson Mandela stated how proud of Oxford he was for its generosity in the fight against apartheid.

"I believe we are faced with a similar dilemma today.

"There are so many similarities."

Ms Nala-Hartley also referenced the "indiscriminate slaughter of human beings at such an alarming number".

Oxford is twinned with the Palestinian city of Ramallah.

The motion passed requests the council leader write to the foreign secretary to call for an "immediate ceasefire", "open humanitarian corridors into Gaza" as well as "provide an opportunity to seek the immediate release of all hostages and all Palestinians held in arbitrary military detention".

Motions had also been proposed - though not voted on - by the Labour Group and Independent Group calling for "peace in Israel and Palestine" and also "demanding immediate Gaza ceasefire" respectively.