Maldives Enforces Entry Ban on Israelis Amid Ongoing Gaza Crisis
By Okafor Joseph Afam, Reporter, SpringNewsNG Media Limited — April 14, 2025
The decision, announced on Tuesday, was signed into law by President Mohamed Muizzu after receiving approval from the Maldives parliament. According to a statement from the President’s Office, the move reflects the nation’s firm condemnation of what it describes as Israel’s “continued atrocities” against Palestinians.
The Maldives, a majority-Muslim island nation in the Indian Ocean, said the travel ban is a gesture of solidarity with Palestine, following months of violence that began after the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel led by Hamas and other groups.
That attack resulted in the deaths of about 1,200 people and the abduction of over 250 Israeli citizens, who were taken into the Gaza Strip.
Since then, reports from Gaza’s health authorities estimate that over 51,000 people have been killed, including large numbers of women and children, amid ongoing Israeli military operations.
The Maldives’ stance adds to the growing international debate surrounding the humanitarian impact of the conflict and the global response to Israel’s actions in Gaza.
