Honduras has summoned its ambassador to Israel back to the capital for talks in response to the escalating humanitarian crisis in Gaza amid continued conflict between Israel and Hamas. The Honduran Foreign Minister, Eduardo Enrique Reina, announced the decision on a social platform, highlighting the plight of Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip.
This move positions Honduras among other Latin American countries with leftist governments that have taken diplomatic actions to signify their censure of Israel’s intensified military actions against Hamas following the events of October 7. Earlier, Bolivia cut off diplomatic ties with Israel, denouncing its actions as crimes against humanity, and both Chile and Colombia have retracted their ambassadors.
A significant attack last month by Palestinian militants resulted in the deaths of 1,400 individuals, many of whom were civilians, and the abduction of over 240 hostages. The reported figures from Gaza’s health ministry, run by Hamas, cite a Palestinian casualty count of 9,227, though these numbers include deaths caused by misfired rockets and have not been independently verified.
Minister Reina explained to the Associated Press that the recall of the ambassador aims to highlight the suffering of civilians in Gaza and that Honduras will keep diplomatic operations active in Israel despite the ambassador’s absence. Reina underscored Honduras’ adherence to a recent UN resolution urging for an immediate ceasefire and the initiation of peace dialogues, expressing concern for the welfare of the innocent population.
Under previous President Juan Orlando Hernández, who is currently facing drug trafficking charges in the United States, Honduras had relocated its embassy to Jerusalem, a move thought to be in alignment with the Trump administration’s policies. Honduras was the fourth country to make such a decision, a decision also influenced by its substantial Evangelical Christian demographic.
The current Honduran administration under President Xiomara Castro, the nation’s first female leader, continues to navigate its diplomatic stance, seeking to maintain relationships with leftist governments in Latin America, while also engaging with the United States.