The Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries La'auli Leuatea Schmidt has declared his full support behind a New Zealand-registered tour company owned by Samoans, offering traveling packages to the "Holy Land". 

He said this despite a war raging in Israel between Hamas and Israeli forces.

The Alia Tour company is owned by a Samoan pastor currently residing in Porirua New Zealand. 

According to information available on the New Zealand Business Registry, Alia Tour was established on 14 September, 2023 and its sole director and shareholder is Timoteo Benjamin Williams. 

Attempts to get comments from the director, Timoteo, have been unsuccessful. 

In a video uploaded to social media last week, La'auli pledged his support for the initiative and appreciation for the establishment of what he described as an important service. 

He explained that he has visited Jerusalem twice and that it's a trip worth taking and encouraged all those who wish to visit the 'Holy Land' to make good use of Alia Tours' services. 

He said the land is magnificent, where history is written and where the stories from the Bible happened. La'auli added that being in Jerusalem would renew one's faith and strengthen his Christian beliefs. 

He then wished Alia Tours all the best with their endeavours and gave them his blessings. 

According to the company's website, they welcome people from New Zealand, Australia, the United State of America and the Pacific who wish to explore Israel, along with their trusted partner Sa - El Tours since 2011 with more than 500 satisfied guests. 

Meanwhile fighting in Israel continues. The BBC reported that Israel has told everyone in the north of the Gaza Strip - about 1.1 million people - to relocate to the south of the territory within 24 hours, a deadline that has now passed. It wants them to be south of a watercourse known as Wadi Gaza.

The UN said this is not possible and asked Israel to withdraw the order, warning of "devastating humanitarian consequences".

The World Health Organization said Gaza's health authorities had told it that it would be impossible to evacuate vulnerable hospital patients.

Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, told civilians to ignore the evacuation order, describing it as "fake propaganda". However, many people have been leaving.

Women and young children were among many killed when a strike hit their convoy fleeing northern Gaza on one of two evacuation routes.