President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has reaffirmed that the Maldives will continue to champion humanity, peace, and justice in response to its declaration of intervention in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) case concerning the violence in Gaza.
In a social media post, the President emphasized the need for Israel to be held accountable for violations of international law and urged Palestinians to uphold the rule of law and cease ongoing crimes against their people.
Following Cabinet consultations in January, the Maldives decided to join South Africa’s ICJ case regarding alleged atrocities in Gaza. The Attorney General’s Office confirmed that a Declaration of Intervention was submitted to ICJ by Attorney General Ahmed Usham.
South Africa filed the case on December 29, 2023, alleging that Israel’s actions against Palestinians violate the 1948 Genocide Convention. The Maldives' intervention focuses on definitions related to incitement to genocide and the duty to punish such incitement.
The Maldivian government has consistently condemned Israel's actions in international forums, labelling them as acts of genocide and violations of international law. During the 79th session of the UN General Assembly, President Muizzu described the violence in Gaza as a mockery of justice and called for accountability for these acts. The Maldives is advocating for an immediate end to Israel's actions and believes the only sustainable resolution to the conflict lies in establishing an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, based on pre-1967 borders.