Gaza War: Nigeria, Others Demand Immediate Ceasefire

Michael Olugbode in Abuja

Nigeria alongside 119 other countries at the weekend voted in favour of a humanitarian ceasefire in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.
This followed the failure of four draft resolutions at the United Nations Security Council.
At the UN General Assembly on Friday, while 120 countries voted in favour, 14 including US and Israel voted against the resolution. A total of 45 countries abstained.

The resolution, according to Premium Times, was on the “protection of civilians and upholding legal and humanitarian obligations”, according to UN News. It demanded that all parties “immediately and fully comply” with obligations under international humanitarian and human rights laws, “particularly in regard to the protection of civilians and civilian objects.”

Thousands of civilians have been killed in Israel and Gaza, with the latter recording more casualties as a result of relentless bombardments from Israel.
The recent escalation started on October 7 when Hamas attacked Israel. Over 1,400 Israelis were killed in that attack.
Since then, Israel has declared war on the group with occupants of the Gaza Strip at the receiving end. Over 7,000 Gaza residents including about 3,000 children have been killed in the air strikes, according to official figures.

Additionally, the resolution called for the protection of humanitarian personnel and humanitarian facilities to enable and facilitate humanitarian access for essential supplies and services to reach all civilians in need in the Gaza Strip.

Since the recent escalation, no less than 53 humanitarian staff have been killed in Gaza, UN Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) said.
Referring to Israel as “the occupying Power,” the UN Assembly asked it to rescind its evacuation order. Israel had ordered Palestinians in northern Gaza to evacuate and relocate to the south but continued to bombard the area. “The General Assembly also called for the immediate and unconditional release of all civilians being illegally held captive, demanding their safety, well-being and humane treatment in compliance with international law.

“It also reaffirmed that a “just and lasting solution” to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict can only be achieved by peaceful means, based on the relevant UN resolutions and in accordance with international law, and on the basis of the two-State solution,” UN News reported.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian government has called for a truce between Israeli forces and Hamas, and asked for the immediate opening of humanitarian corridor in Gaza.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, in a statement yesterday said: “The Federal Government of Nigeria supports and reiterates call for an immediate durable and sustained humanitarian truce between Israeli forces and Hamas in Gaza and asks for the opening of humanitarian corridor.”
He added that: “The situation in Gaza is dire and requires immediate attention as a result of the recent uptick in violence. Women, children, and other vulnerable groups are among innocent civilians that have suffered greatly as a result of the indiscriminate violence and are currently bearing the consequences.
“The parties in the conflict must uphold the fundamental values of human rights and international humanitarian law, which places premium on ensuring civilians’ safety and well-being even in times of conflict.”

Tuggar said: “The Federal Government of Nigeria is calling on the Israeli Government to grant humanitarian access to the millions of people that have been displaced since the crisis broke. The lack of water, food shortages, medical supplies and fuel have compounded the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.
“The Federal Government of Nigeria also calls on all parties involved to immediately agree to a ceasefire and engage in diplomatic negotiations to resolve the conflict.”

The minister further said: “Both parties are urged to exercise utmost restraint and prioritise the safety and well-being of civilians. Indiscriminate attacks that result in civilian casualties must be avoided at all costs.
The prayer of the Nigerian nation is with those who have lost their lives in the conflict and families that have suffered human and material losses, and also those that are currently recuperating from injuries.

“Finally, the Federal Government of Nigeria is reiterating its call once again for a quick de-escalation of hostilities by both sides and a return to the negotiating table to continue the search for peaceful resolutions and the implementation of the two-state solution as a permanent settlement of the inter-generational cycle of violence.”