Overview

• In a ministerial statement, Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan called Israel’s Gaza campaign unconscionable and possibly in breach of international humanitarian law, citing reports of 1.9 million displaced and more than 60,000 dead.
• He announced targeted measures against leaders of radical right‑wing settler groups linked to West Bank violence, with details to follow and a caution not to overstate their impact.
• Referencing UN findings now before the International Court of Justice, he urged Israel to lift all restrictions to enable a full and safe flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza.
• Singapore will continue engaging both the Palestinian Authority and Israel to convey its positions and facilitate assistance, and will call out any breaches of international law, including by Hamas.
• Defence ties with Israel remain, but Singapore will not be “held hostage,” and recognition of Palestine will depend on an effective government that accepts Israel’s right to exist and categorically renounces terrorism, with a possible reconsideration if the two‑state prospect is further eroded.