The Maldives Parliament has passed a bill amending the Immigration Act to prohibit entry into the country for individuals holding Israeli passports.

The bill, approved unanimously by all 83 members present during today’s sitting, was introduced in response to Israel’s continued genocide in Gaza since October 7, 2023.

The legislation, initially proposed by South Galolhu MP Meekail, aims to restrict travel for Israeli nationals until Israel ceases its military offensive and human rights violations against Palestinians, particularly in Gaza. More than 62,000 people have reportedly been killed, and over 114,000 injured in the genocide since October 7, prompting international condemnation and renewed calls for ceasefire.

The amended law specifies that individuals applying to enter the Maldives using an Israeli passport will be denied entry. However, dual nationals holding passports from other countries will still be permitted to enter, in line with advice from Maldives Immigration. The agency noted the difficulty in identifying Israeli nationals travelling on alternate passports.

The bill also removes a previous clause that barred entry for individuals carrying passports from other countries if they also held Israeli citizenship. This update was intended to make the law enforceable and aligned with current immigration practices.

The amendment received broad bipartisan support. While the proposal was first introduced by the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) over a year ago, it was recently updated and backed by members across political lines, including those from the ruling People’s National Congress (PNC), which holds a supermajority in Parliament.

The parliamentary decision follows the approval of the bill by the Security Services Committee (241 Committee), which presented its findings to the legislative body earlier this week.

According to the amended act, the travel restriction will remain in effect until Israel ends its military operations and genocide in Palestine. The bill frames the move as a symbolic stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people and a call for international accountability and action.