NZ urges all parties to make Gaza ceasefire work

  • Murray McCully
Foreign Affairs

Foreign Minister Murray McCully says New Zealand welcomes news that an indefinite ceasefire has been agreed by Israel and the Palestinians.

“New Zealanders have been greatly concerned, and justifiably outraged, by the number of civilian casualties in this conflict,” Mr McCully says.

“We urge both sides to ensure this current ceasefire holds and commend the efforts of Egypt, the United Nations, the United States and others to negotiate this ceasefire. 

“We would now like to see an early return to negotiations to agree on a two state solution, whereby Israel and a Palestinian state can exist peacefully side by side.

“New Zealand supports the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon’s call for a return to final status peace negotiations so that Israel and the Palestinians can live as two states in peace and security,” Mr McCully says.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade continues to advise against all travel to Gaza, and New Zealanders currently in Gaza are advised to depart as soon as it is safe to do so.