Dozens of delegates at the United Nations General Assembly, including representatives from the Maldives, exited in protest on Friday as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was set to speak.

Friday represents the fourth day of remarks at the 80th UNGA taking place at the UN headquarters in New York, where numerous world leaders denounced Israel’s genocide in Gaza, with an additional 10 countries acknowledging Palestinian statehood.

While Netanyahu, facing an International Criminal Court arrest warrant for purported war crimes, spoke at the UNGA, representatives from various nations rose from their seats and departed the room.

This comprised Maldivian Foreign Minister Dr. Abdulla Khaleel, Environment Minister Ahmed Thoriq, along with additional members of the Maldivian delegation.

“The Maldives will consistently support the Palestinian people,” Khaleel stated in a post on X, sharing a video of the large walkout.

Netanyahu’s speech follows a day after Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas spoke to global leaders assembled for the UNGA through video link after being denied a visa by the United States to attend in New York.

In his address, Abbas condemned Israel’s use of starvation as a tactic, criticizing “the extremist Israeli government” for ongoing settlement initiatives that render a future Palestinian state nearly unattainable.

Israel’s brutal conflict in Gaza has resulted in more than 65,000 deaths and over 167,000 injuries since October 2023.

It is estimated that thousands more are interred beneath the debris of homes and office buildings destroyed by Israeli airstrikes.