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The conflict between Israel and Palestine has been raging since October 7 and close to nine thousand lives have been lost, most of them Palestinian.

The government of Belize has been a steadfast supporter of Palestine's right to statehood for decades now, and today in the Senate, the Minister of Foreign Affairs framed the dispute from the perspective of Belize's Foreign policy:

HON. Eamon Courtenay, Leader Of Gov't Business
"Since 7th October 2023 when Hamas militants crossed into Israel and wreaked mayhem, killing some 1500 civilians and injuring thousands more. Belize deeply regrets the loss of innocent lives of men, women and children of several nationalities because of this operation."  

"More than 200 innocent persons were captured and are being held hostage by Hamas. We demand their immediate and unconditional release."

"For the past 19 days the world has watched in horror at the scale of Israel's indiscriminate attacks and unrelenting bombing of Gaza. To date more than 6,500 Palestinians, including 2,500 children, have been slaughtered. A further 17,000 Palestinians have been injured. Targeting, or recklessly wounding and killing defenceless civilians is barbaric."  

"The amount of explosives that have been dropped on Gaza exceeds 12,000 tons. That is equivalent to the size of the nuclear bomb dropped on Hiroshima. Our collective conscience is shocked."  

"The collective punishment of Gazans by Israel is a war crime. As the occupying power, Israel is under an obligation to ensure that the basic needs of the residents of Gaza are met. This is the standard to be met in a civilized world."  

"And we have not seen the end. This hell on earth created by Israel, is to get worse. A ground invasion of Gaza is imminent. The risk of a wider conflagration is real."  

"Israel is not above international law."

"We condemn the unjustified use of force and the killing of innocent civilians by both sides."  

"We call for an immediate ceasefire."  

"We call for the immediate release of all hostages."  

"We demand that international humanitarian and human rights law be respected by all parties."  

"We call for the safe, unimpeded access for adequate humanitarian support to Gaza."   

"Belize will never waver from its longstanding support for the Palestinian people to exercise their right to self-determination and for an independent Palestinian state, within its 1967 borders."