The Maldives has called for an urgent and lasting humanitarian ceasefire to be implemented in the besieged Palestinian enclave of Gaza.
The statement was made by Foreign Minister Moosa Zameer yesterday as he delivered the national statement during the Open-Ended Extraordinary Meeting of the Executive Committee of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) at the level of Foreign Ministers in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
In his remarks, Minister Zameer reflected on the worsening situation in Gaza and condemned the genocidal acts being committed by Israel against the Palestinian people. He stressed the role of the international community in ensuring the rule of law is respected and upheld.
He then called for an urgent and lasting humanitarian ceasefire to be implemented. Noting that incremental progress of aid to Gaza is no longer enough, he called for the international community to ensure the safe collection and distribution of adequate aid by humanitarian convoys.
Reiterating that the Maldives will never waiver its commitment to the Palestinian cause, he stated that a lasting solution can only be realized with Palestine established as an independent and sovereign state based on the pre-1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Minister Zameer also condemned the assassination of Chief of Political Bureau of Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh.
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation, comprising 57 Member States, is a strong advocate for the people of Palestine and their aspiration for statehood. The Maldives has been an active member of the OIC since becoming a member in 1976.
