President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has called on the international community to build on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolution and take stronger and more concrete steps to immediately end all hostilities in Gaza.
In a post on X, President Muizzu called on the internernational community to guarantee the rights of the Palestinian people, including their right to self-determination. He also said that the recently adopted UNSC resolution was a step in the right direction but highlighted that aid cannot be safely delivered in the middle of airstrikes. He added that the people of Palestine continue to face brutal attacks and that the Maldives expects prompt implementation of the resolution.
The UNSC has voted to approve a resolution that demands all sides in the Israel-Hamas conflict allow the safe and unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance at scale. After days of delays, the resolution also called for the creation of conditions for a sustainable cessation of hostilities but did not call for an immediate end to fighting.
Russia and the United States, which both could have vetoed the measure as permanent members of the council, abstained, meaning it passed with 13 votes in favor. UN chief Antonio Guterres said in the wake of the vote that Israel's offensive was the real problem to getting aid shipments into Gaza, as he reiterated his call for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire.
Additionally, Palestinian ambassador Riyad Mansour said using humanitarian aid as a method of war has to end immediately. He also called the resolution a step in the right direction. Diplomatic wrangling at United Nations headquarters in Manhattan -- causing the vote to be postponed several times this week -- has come against the backdrop of deteriorating conditions in Gaza and a mounting death toll.