Maldives moves to ban Israeli citizens from entering country – Times of India

Maldives moves to ban Israeli citizens from entering country – Times of India



NEW DELHI: Maldives will now prohibit Israeli passport holders from entering the country in response to Israel’s retaliatory bombardments and ground offensive in Gaza.
Minister of homeland security and technology Ali Ihusan said that President Mohamed Muizzu, during a cabinet meeting, decided to initiate the necessary legal changes to enforce this ban.A special cabinet committee of ministers has been formed to implement this decision.
In a press release, the Maldives President’s Office said, “President Dr Mohamed Muizzu, following a recommendation from the Cabinet, has resolved to impose a ban on Israeli passports.”
The press release reads, “The Cabinet decision includes amending necessary laws to prevent Israeli passport holders from entering the Maldives and establishing a Cabinet subcommittee to oversee these efforts.”
Maldives will also appoint a special envoy to address Palestine’s requests from the Maldives amidst the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine.
The island nation also plans to organize fundraising events to aid those in the besieged Palestinian territory. These efforts will be coordinated with the UNRWA. Furthermore, a national march titled “Maldivians with Palestine” will be held, along with meetings with other Islamic countries to seek a swift resolution to the Palestinian issue.
This comes after South Africa initiated legal action against Israel at the International Court of Justice, which has issued a temporary order to prevent violent actions against Palestinians in Gaza.
The Gaza war was sparked by Hamas’s unprecedented October 7 attack, which resulted in the deaths of 1,189 people, mostly civilians. Militants also took 252 hostages, 121 of whom remain in Gaza, including 37 the army says are dead.
Israel’s retaliatory bombardments and ground offensive have killed at least 36,379 people in Gaza, mostly civilians, according to the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry.
On Friday, US President Joe Biden announced that Israel has proposed a “comprehensive new proposal” aimed at achieving a ceasefire in the ongoing conflict with Hamas in Gaza and securing the release of all hostages held by the group.
According to Biden, this proposal, conveyed to Hamas via Qatar, details a “roadmap” towards a ceasefire. The initial phase, set to last six weeks, includes a “full and complete ceasefire with the withdrawal of Israeli forces from all populated areas of Gaza” and the “release of several hostages, including women, the elderly, and the wounded, in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.”





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