March 7th, 2024
The Government of Colombia reaffirms its call for an immediate ceasefire in the Middle East and remains committed to leveraging our diplomatic channels to support an end to hostilities and achieving a negotiated peace.
Colombia’s Jewish community is an integral part of our country’s vibrant and diverse population. Last month, President Gustavo Petro and Acting Foreign Minister Luis Gilberto Murillo met with Colombian citizen Rebecca Gonzales de Bohbot, the wife of Elkana Bohbot, an Israeli citizen taken hostage by Hamas, who was granted Colombian citizenship to help facilitate his release.
Furthermore, in a series of letter exchanges with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Petro has affirmed the Government of Colombia’s commitment toward providing assistance in the ongoing hostage negotiations.
The Government of Colombia remains deeply concerned about the humanitarian plight of Palestinians in Gaza and expressed its strongest condemnation of the attack in the northern Gaza Strip on the 29th of February in which Israeli forces indiscriminately fired upon Palestinian civilians who were awaiting humanitarian aid and food, resulting in over 100 deaths and more than 700 injuries. The Government is extremely concerned about the high number of Palestinians killed and the ongoing humanitarian tragedy taking place in Gaza.
The Government of Colombia remains committed to hosting a Peace Conference, as proposed by President Petro, to advance a comprehensive solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. This approach has been recommended for all conflicts; Colombia sets an example in this regard.
