COLOMBO - The Maldivian government has decided to amend its laws to ban Israeli nationals from entering the country, local media cited Minister of Homeland Security and Technology Ali Ihusan as reporting.

At a press briefing on Sunday, Ihusan said the decision was taken at a cabinet meeting held earlier in the day following calls by local citizens to ban Israeli nationals due to devastating attacks in Gaza.

He said the government will make legal amendments to implement the ban and a special committee has been appointed to expedite the process.

The Maldives receives over 1 million tourists per year out of which an estimated 15,000 tourists are from Israel, local media said.