SINGAPORE: Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan told Israeli leaders during a working visit to the country that its actions in Gaza “have gone too far”.
He also called for an immediate ceasefire to allow immediate aid to flow to Gaza, and expressed Singapore’s deep concern at the dire humanitarian situation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said in a statement on Wednesday (20 March).
While in Israel on Tuesday and Wednesday as part of a 10-day work trip to the Middle East, Dr Balakrishnan met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog, as well as other officials. During the meeting, he expressed Singapore’s sympathy to all the families affected by the Hamas attack on October 7 2023.
Although he stated that what happened that day was a “clear, flagrant and heinous act of terror”, he also spoke about the Israeli military actions that followed.
In a closed-door interview in Israel on Wednesday, Dr Balakrishnan said: “But where we have differences with Israel, perhaps, and that is why today’s discussions have been, I would say, honest, sometimes even brutal, if necessary – in where we have differences, we believe that Israel’s current military response has gone too far.
“I have conveyed that to the prime minister, foreign minister and other Israelis we met.”
Calling for the safe, unconditional and immediate release of all civilian hostages from Gaza, he also hoped for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire.
Ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas resumed in the Qatari capital this week, after Hamas’ counter-proposal last week was rejected by Israel.
The two sides have discussed a six-week ceasefire, which would see the release of around 40 Israeli hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and aid to be sent to the Gaza Strip.
“I don’t know whether the negotiations in Doha will bear fruit. I still hope that there will be a humanitarian ceasefire soon. I hope the hostages will be released,” said Dr Balakrishnan on the sidelines of opening the doors.
“But I don’t know how close it is or when it will happen. But I think right now, this conflict is not over. You may get a temporary respite, but I think we have to be prepared that this could continue.” For now, all eyes focused on Rafah, the last refuge in Gaza for more than a million refugees where Israel believes Hamas militants are hiding.
