The Nigerian government has strongly condemned the killing of at least 45 defenceless civilians at camps in Rafah, and other parts of Gaza amid the raging war between Israel and Hamas.
A statement signed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar on Thursday said, “The Government of Nigeria noted that the recent deadly attacks on the Rafah Displacement Camps in Southern Gaza on Sunday, the 26th, which killed about 45 people, mostly women and children, represent an unfortunate addition to the list of strikes on soft civilian targets with devastating effects that have now characterised the crisis.”
The Nigerian authority urged all stakeholders, including the warring parties (Israel and Palestine), the United Nations, especially its Security Council, the European Union, human rights groups, civil society organisations, world leaders and the international community to intensify efforts towards a speedy resolution of the conflict and the immediate ceasefire to avert more disaster.
Amb. Tuggar said the Rafah attacks, just like the bombing of the Al Shifa Hospital in early April, the serial bombing of schools, particularly in Khan Younis; the March 2024 bombing of the Firas Market and the Nuseirat Refugee Camp Market; the drone attacks on the World Central Kitchen aid staff in April all indicate most regrettable affront on humanity, which must be denounced in its entirety.
“It deplores the already mature humanitarian catastrophe that has developed out of this regrettable situation. Nigeria is greatly dismayed at the flagrant disregard of ceasefire agreements, the violation of humanitarian corridors, and the deliberate sabotaging of aid and relief efforts.
“Nigeria, therefore, strongly maintains the stance that the fundamental human rights, including and especially that to life of the vulnerable civilian population of Gaza must be preserved at all costs.
“We call on all stakeholders—including the warring parties (Israel and Palestine), the United Nations, especially its Security Council, the European Union, human rights groups, civil society organisations, world leaders and the international community—to intensify efforts towards a speedy resolution of the conflict, and the immediate cessation of the attendant carnage on the defenceless people, not just of Gaza, but on both sides of the divide.
“No lesser alternative will be acceptable. While we consider intervention on behalf of the people of Gaza as a far-reaching contribution to the preservation of humanity and its values, we also reaffirm our position regarding the two-state solution as vital to the amelioration of the prevailing situation,” the Nigerian Government emphasised in the statement.
Israel launched war against Hamas after the Palestinian militants attacked southern Israel on October 7, 2023 and killed 1200 Israeli citizens and took nearly 200 others hostage.
Seven months after the Israeli offensive on Hamas in Gaza, over 36,000 Palestinians have been reportedly killed and nearly 80,000 injured.
