Maldives to Ban Israelis From Entry in Anger Over Gaza

The Maldives government will ban all those with Israeli passports from entering the country, a move that comes in the wake of national public outrage over Israel’s continued military assault of the Gaza Strip. The Maldives, a majority Muslim nation located in the Indian Ocean, is known for its luxury resorts and drew tens of thousands of Israelis there last year. On Sunday, the office of president Mohamed Muizzu announced that in addition to amending laws to bar Israeli passport-holders from entry, it would also appoint a special envoy to help fundraise for Palestinians and assess aid needs. In response, the Israeli foreign ministry advised its citizens to avoid traveling to the Maldives, even if they held other passports, and for those in the country to consider leaving. The announcement came in the wake of a continued Israeli assault on Rafah, the city it had once designated as a safe zone, in defiance of an ICJ order to stop. Ceasefire negotiations continued to stall this week.