The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism of Seychelles, Sylvestre Radegonde, met with the Ambassador of Israel to Seychelles, Michael Lotem, on Thursday to discuss a number of issues, particularly the current situation in Gaza, according to a press statement from the Department of Foreign Affairs.

Radegonde and Lotem, who is based in Nairobi, discussed international issues and bilateral cooperation.

Radegonde "reiterated the Seychelles Government's condemnation of the attack by Hamas on Israel on the 7th October, 2023, the senseless killings of innocent civilians as well as the taking of hostages."

However, the statement said that "whilst Israel's right to self-defence is recognised, that right cannot encroach on the rights of civilians in Gaza under the Human Rights Charter and Geneva Conventions. He deplored the indiscriminate killings of civilians - now estimated to be over 20,000 - the destruction of civilian infrastructure in Gaza and called for an immediate end of the war as well as the release of all hostages being held by Hamas."

Radegonde urged the return to the negotiating table under the auspices of the United Nations to develop a peace agreement based on the two-state solution.

"It is to be noted that Seychelles has been taking a stronger diplomatic stance on the conflict in Gaza as civilian casualties have mounted. In accordance with the relevant provisions of the UN Charter and the rules of procedure of the UN Security Council, the Seychelles Government co-sponsored a draft UN Security Council resolution on 8th December 2023 calling for a ceasefire that was vetoed by the United States," said the statement.

Radegonde and Lotem also discussed bilateral cooperation in sectors such as tourism, agriculture, and capacity building.