Nigeria has urged world leaders to back United States President, Joe Biden’s ceasefire proposal to end the Israel-Palestine conflict.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, made the call for immediate global action to protect innocent lives.
“Nigeria assures the United States of its support to bring about a complete cessation of violence and an end to the senseless loss of human lives and manmade humanitarian crises,” declared Tuggar, in a statement signed by his media aide, AlKasim Abdulkadir, on Sunday.
The minister emphasised the need for a coordinated international effort to resolve the conflict swiftly.
“The Biden ceasefire proposal should be embraced by world leaders and the totality of the international community to intensify efforts towards a speedy resolution of the conflict, and the immediate cessation of the attendant extreme violence in Gaza and all other innocent civilians affected by the conflict.
“Equally important is the continuous, sufficient and unhindered provision of lifesaving humanitarian supplies and services for civilians,” he added.
The Biden proposal, which includes a permanent ceasefire, increased humanitarian aid, the release of hostages, and a major reconstruction effort, is seen by Nigeria as the best path forward.
“The Biden plan presents a clear path towards progress and the conditions required for peace,” Tuggar noted, expressing concern over the ongoing bloodshed and its implications for global justice.
Continuous and unhindered humanitarian aid was crucial, the minister added, underscoring the importance of lifesaving support for civilians caught in the conflict.
The ongoing conflict has seen significant casualties.
Israel’s National Council for the Child reports that 1,200 Israelis, including 38 children, were killed in Hamas attacks on October 7th of last year.
In response, Israeli bombardments in Gaza have resulted in the deaths of thousands, with the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza reporting 36,731 fatalities, including many children.
Recent United Nations figures estimate that at least 7,797 children have been killed in Gaza, based on identified bodies.
The UN had on Friday placed the Israeli military on a list of parties accused of committing violations against children in conflict zones.
Last month, former US President, Donald Trump accused Joe Biden of siding with Hamas when he threatened to stop sending US weapons to Israel as it wages war against the Palestinian militant group in Gaza, calling the president’s stance “disgraceful.”
PUNCH Online reports that the warring states of Israel and Palestine have been in at rift for years with the latest ongoing incursion beginning late last year with lots of human and property lost to the war.
