Nairobi — Egyptian envoy to Kenya Wael Nasr Eldin Attiya has hailed Kenya for its “balanced” stance on the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in Palestine that has left over 12,000 dead on both sides.
Ambassador Attiya said that Kenya has demonstrated its leadership in the region by advocating for cessation of hostilities.
On October 27, Kenya was among the 120 nations that passed a resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas militants.
During the United Nations General Assembly, 14 countries voted against the resolution including Israel and the United States while 45 others abstained.
“Kenya is a key player on the African scene. I think Kenya has adopted a very balanced and logical position and I think this should continue the call for reaching a two-state solution,” Ambassador Attiya told Capital FM News.
The conflict which dates back to the 19th century exploded early October when Hamas militants reached Israel defenses in a surprise attack that left over 1400 Israelis dead and dozens taken hostage by the group.
In response, Israel launched a sustained military operation including aerial bombardment which has led to over 11,000 casualties on the Palestinian side and displacement of more than a million people in the besieged Gaza strip, a situation that has seen continuous calls for a ceasefire on both sides.
However, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has remained adamant that there will be “no ceasefire” with Hamas.
To reach the permanent solution to peace, Ambassador Attiya appealed to Kenya to maintain its momentum in pushing both parties to return to the negotiating table to end the hostilities which he argues threatens the security of the citizens of both sides.
“This is something that we hope that Kenya will continue to stress this message and to also use its good relations with the different parties, including Israel, to press Israel and the Palestinian side to return to the negotiation table and be voice of reason,” Ambassador Attiya said.
On October 8, a day after the Hamas attack in Israel Kenya’s President William Ruto denounced the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict, saying terrorism cannot be justified.
President Ruto condemned all acts of terrorism and violent extremism, deeming them “abhorrent, criminal, and unjustifiable,” regardless of the perpetrator’s motivations.
“Kenya strongly maintains that there exists no justification whatsoever for terrorism, which constitutes a serious threat to international peace and security. All acts of terrorism and violent extremism are abhorrent, criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of the perpetrator, or their motivations,” Ruto said in a statement.
He urged the international community to mobilize efforts to hold accountable those responsible for these reprehensible acts of terrorism, including their organizers, financiers, sponsors, supporters, and enablers.
In light of the complex and sensitive security context in Israel-Palestine, Kenya called for a ceasefire to halt any further military action between Israel and Palestine, citing the exacerbating tension and the suffering of civilians.
President Ruto urged both parties to refrain from further attacks and work toward a peaceful resolution to end the conflict, recognizing the distressing intentional targeting of civilians and the escalating casualties.
He emphasized the importance of all parties respecting the rights of civilians and abiding by their obligations under international law.