The terrorist attack waged by Hamas against Israel two years ago claimed hundreds of innocent lives and triggered an unprecedented military escalation, Foreign Affairs Minister Juraj Blanar (Smer-SD) said on the occasion of the second anniversary of the attack on Tuesday. He called for peace in the Middle East, the release of all hostages and a solution to the severe humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.
"In Slovakia, we do not forget the victims of this terrorist attack. It is our duty to stand on the side of international law, to firmly reject terrorism and to support the path towards peace and stability, both in Gaza and throughout the entire Middle East region. The future of Gaza must be without Hamas. At the same time, we recall that Israel not only has the right to defend itself, but also the duty to protect the civilian population," noted Blanar.
"We honour the memory of the victims and express our solidarity with all those who lost their loved ones," he added.
Blanar said that Slovakia supports peace efforts aimed at ending the conflict, including the plan presented by US President Donald Trump. According to Blanar, it has a strong potential to stop the "unacceptable bloodshed" and contribute to the release of all hostages still held by Hamas.
He emphasised that Slovakia supports the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
"Post-conflict governance in Gaza must be based on stability, recovery and peaceful coexistence, bringing security to all residents of the region," he said.
Blanar also noted that Slovakia remains active in providing humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, recalling its support to various initiatives and coordinated actions aimed at alleviating the suffering of civilians.
"As part of our ongoing efforts to ease the suffering of civilians in Gaza, another humanitarian aid package worth over €30,000 was dispatched from Slovakia today, containing medicines of various kinds," he added.
Source: TASR
