National leader Christopher Luxon has slammed Labour for being "unhelpful" by stepping out of caretaker mode and calling for a ceasefire in Gaza on Sunday.
None of the parties likely to soon be the Government are calling for one - with National saying there's no simple solution.
"The reality is you need the conditions for a ceasefire to be there and that requires that you need both parties wanting to progress a ceasefire," said Luxon on Monday.
Asked if he called for a ceasefire, ACT leader David Seymour said: "I call for the hostages to be released... If the hostages are released, then maybe you can have a ceasefire."
In a constitutionally awkward move, Hipkins on Sunday took off his caretaker handcuffs and called for Israel and Hamas to end the fighting.
"I am not willing to wait any longer given we don't know how long negotiations are going to take before articulating the Labour Party's position," he said.
Luxon said that was "unhelpful".
On Friday, Labour as the caretaker Government told National it wanted to call for a ceasefire. National said it wanted to see official advice.
Labour asked for it and they got it from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade on Saturday. National opted for an option which wasn't calling for a ceasefire.
On Sunday at 3:26pm, Labour told National it was about to call for one. At 3:30pm, Hipkins called for a ceasefire.
"There isn't agreement from the incoming Government to that language," Hipkins said on Sunday.
National's foreign affairs spokesperson Gerry Brownlee on Monday said there is "no simple solution".
"We can't just say from New Zealand let's have a ceasefire and expect it to happen."
Labour actively stepping out of caretaker mode, asking for advice and pressing an issue rather than treading water while it waits is not constitutionally proper.
National slammed Labour for playing politics with a serious issue and not consulting them properly. National favours a softer approach
"Calling for there to be a process towards a ceasefire, quite a different thing, but same goal," said Brownlee.
Despite no Government and an empty Parliament, politics continues.
