Maldives co-sponsors resolution calling for immediate and sustained humanitarian truce in Gaza that was adopted by the UN General Assembly
On Friday, 27 October 2023, at the Tenth Emergency Special Session of the United Nations, the General Assembly adopted a resolution calling for an immediate, durable, and sustained humanitarian truce leading to a cessation of hostilities in Gaza.
The Maldives co-sponsored this crucial resolution along with 46 countries* and was among the 120 countries that voted in favour. 45 countries abstained from the vote, while 14 countries voted against the resolution.
Amid the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in the Gaza Strip, this was the first time the international community rallied together and took a bold stance against the recent indiscriminate attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure launched by the Israeli military.
The resolution also calls for ensuring the “unhindered provision of essential goods and services to civilians throughout the Gaza Strip”. Further, the resolution firmly rejects any attempts at the forced transfer of the Palestinian civilian population and calls for the establishment of humanitarian corridors aimed at facilitating the delivery of humanitarian aid to civilians.
After consistently failing to address the deeply deteriorating situation in Palestine and Israel, the Government of Maldives believes that now is the time for the UNSC to take a unified stance against acts of terrorism, violence, and hostilities directed at civilians, demanding the immediate release of hostages and the protection of medical and humanitarian personnel, as stipulated by international humanitarian law.
On Tuesday, 31 October 2023, the Emergency Special Session will reconvene to debate illegal Israeli actions in Palestine. During this session, Her Excellency Thilmeeza Hussain, Permanent Representative of the Maldives to the United Nations will deliver a statement on behalf of the Government of the Maldives.
The Government of Maldives and its people reaffirm their unwavering commitment and unconditional solidarity with the Palestinian people in their just quest to achieve their inherent rights, including the right to self-determination.
The Government of Maldives also reaffirms the long-standing position that a lasting solution to the conflict can only be achieved through the internationally accepted “two-State solution”, with the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian State based on the pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
* The Maldives, together with the State of Palestine, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belize, Bolivia (Plurinational State of), Botswana, Brunei Darussalam, Comoros, Cuba, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Djibouti, Egypt, El Salvador, Indonesia, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Mauritania, Morocco, Namibia, Nicaragua, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Russian Federation, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Türkiye, United Arab Emirates, Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of), Yemen and Zimbabwe co-sponsored the resolution.
ENDS