The Maldives government Monday condemned Israel’s decision to halt the entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, insisting that it is a blatant violation of the ceasefire agreement and international law.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement said the Israeli government’s decision to halt the entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, which is a blatant violation of the ceasefire agreement, international human rights law and international humanitarian law.
“The Maldives reiterates its call on the international community to put an end to these grave violations by Israel, activate international accountability mechanisms, and ensure the safe, continuous, and unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid to all areas of the Gaza Strip,” the statement said.
Maldives in the statement, also reaffirmed its support of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, stressing that a just and lasting resolution to the conflict can only be achieved through the establishment of an independent and sovereign State of Palestine, based on the pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Announcing early on Sunday it was halting the entry of all goods and supplies into Gaza, Israel warned of "additional consequences" if Hamas did not agree to extend the first phase of the ceasefire.
Hamas, in turn, accused Israel of seeking to undermine the truce, which went into effect on January 19 and has largely held despite mutual accusations of violations and no agreement on its next phases.