The Maldives has officially banned Israeli passport holders from entering the country, expressing support for the Palestinian cause amid Israel’s ongoing war with Hamas in Gaza, which began after the group’s deadly attacks and kidnappings on October 7, 2023. After parliament passed the measure on Tuesday, President Mohamed Muizzu signed it into law. The President’s Office stated that this move shows the Indian Ocean nation's strong disapproval of what it calls Israel’s “ongoing atrocities” against the Palestinian individuals.

The updated Immigration Act now bars entry to individuals holding Israeli passports, although those with dual citizenship can still visit if they use a non-Israeli passport.

This decision follows a 2024 Cabinet proposal and comes at a time of growing public pressure for the government to take a firmer position on the conflict. In 2023, over 11,000 Israelis travelled to the Maldives, but those numbers fell significantly in early 2024. In response, Israel’s Foreign Ministry has urged its citizens, including dual nationals, to avoid travelling to the Maldives and advised those already there to consider leaving, citing limited consular assistance.

Muizzu also revealed that a special envoy would be appointed to assess the humanitarian situation in the Palestinian territories. Additionally, he shared plans to start a nationwide fundraising effort called “Maldivians in Solidarity with Palestine.”

The Maldives, a country with a population of around 530,000, over 98% of whom are Muslim, had lifted its ban on Israeli tourists in the 1990s and even considered normalising ties with Israel in 2010. However, those diplomatic talks came to a halt in 2012. Under the country's 2008 constitution, both citizens and those seeking citizenship are legally required to adhere to Sunni Islam, at least in name.