The Senate has urged the federal government to intervene in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas to bring it to an end.
This followed the adoption of a motion at the plenary on Tuesday on “Urgent need to call for a ceasefire on the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas” by Senator Adamu Alero (PDP-Kebbi) and Senator Sumalia Kawu NNPP-Kano) and co-sponsored by 43 other senators.
Presenting the motion, Mr Alero said the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was a complex and long-standing conflict that had been going on for over 100 years.
He said the conflict began in the early 1900s, as Jewish immigrants from Europe began to settle in Palestine, which was then part of the Ottoman Empire.
Mr Alero said media reports citing the Gaza Ministry of Health indicate that the number of people killed in Gaza since October 7 has risen to over 8000. Women, children and members of the press have made up more than 62 per cent of the fatalities, while more than 15,273 people.
He said the international community had condemned the conflict and that if urgent steps were not taken, the battle may spread to neighbouring countries and then to the allies of Israel and Palestine.
Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (APGA -Abia), who seconded the motion, also condemned the wanton destruction of lives and called for a solution that would lead to a permanent end to this conflict.
Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin commended the sponsors of the motion, saying what was required at the moment was peace and the concept of an “eye for an eye” should not be embraced.
“We should add our voices to other nations to accent a two-state solution for a permanent solution,” said Mr Jibrin.
Sani Musa (APC-Niger) said the issue was not about who was right or wrong, but what was important was for Nigeria to call for peace in the region.
He urged Nigeria to rally around the United Nations and press for a two-state solution as easier proposed by the UN.
The Senate, in its resolution, urged the federal government to press for a two-state solution as a panacea for permanent resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian crisis as earlier agreed by the United Nations.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio, in his remarks, said the motion was emotive.
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“Let me thank the Nigerian Senate for raising the issue and identifying with the plight of harmless children, the plight of innocent citizens, the plight of our fellow citizens who have been slaughtered daily,” he said.
(NAN)
