Helmy said he had no affiliation with a specific group or organisation but was an “active” pro-Palestine advocate and said he had spoken at a number of pro-Palestine rallies in Melbourne.

He said the boycott organisers were a group of community members, and that their target was not just the Victorian Labor party but its federal counterpart.

Although the federal Labor government voted in favour of an immediate ceasefire in December, Helmy said proponents of the boycott did not believe the Australian government had gone far enough in its advocacy for civilians in Palestine. The letter takes issue with Australia’s continuing military connections with Israel.

“The Labor government has not categorically condemned the genocide and condemned what Israel is doing. Even the ceasefire [call] came too late,” he said.

The Islamic Council of Victoria is the peak body for Islamic and Muslim organisations across the state and has previously boycotted the Iftar dinner in 2017 over a row with then Premier Daniel Andrews over the merits of the provision of “safe places” for Muslim youth – a suggestion made during a federal inquiry into religious freedom.

Council CEO Adel Salman said his organisation told the Premier’s office “two to three weeks ago” it did not believe the Iftar gala should go ahead.

“Given the circumstances and given the trauma in the community and out of sensitivity towards the suffering of the Palestinian people, we just didn’t think it was appropriate to hold a gala event like this and asked them to cancel this year,” he said.

“People are in no mood to enjoy a fancy Iftar when the Palestinians are being bombed.”

But Salman disputed the suggestion in the letter – which was not organised by ICV – that the council threatened to organise a boycott to the Premier’s office. The calls for a boycott had come from “grass roots community members” he said.

“We’re not calling for a boycott but we are saying it’s not appropriate to hold an event like this at this time. There were no threats, it was very amiable and respectful,” he said.

“This has happened spontaneously – the community is very upset.”

The annual Iftar dinners have been held by Victorian Premiers’ since 2015 and are usually large events with hundreds of guests at a city venue.

A spokeswoman for the premier said the Iftar dinner would go ahead, but the government was working with the community on how it should be more respectful.

“We understand the heartbreak that Palestinian and Muslim Victorians are feeling as the Gaza conflict continues, and the premier supports the prime minister in calling for a humanitarian ceasefire,” she said.

“Premiers’ Iftar dinners are an important tradition in Victoria. We’re working closely with leaders of Victoria’s Islamic Community to ensure that everybody’s voices are heard, recognising that this year’s event will be a more solemn and respectful occasion.”

Gaza health officials say almost 30,000 Palestinians have been killed since Israel’s military campaign began in response to Hamas’ October 7 attack. More than 1400 Israelis have been killed, including about 1200 on October 7, according to Israeli tallies.