Nagasaki city officials announced on Monday that the “Israeli” ambassador to Japan has not yet been invited to the city's annual peace ceremony, opting instead to send a letter to the embassy calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.

Mayor Shiro Suzuki explained, "As for Israel, the situation is changing day by day... so we have put sending an invitation letter on hold.”

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"Given the critical humanitarian situation in Gaza, and public opinion in the international community, there are concerns about the risk of unexpected incidents during the ceremony," Suzuki continued. "The event should be safe and smooth."

Suzuki mentioned that if city officials determine it is appropriate to invite “Israel” in the coming months, they "will issue an invitation swiftly."

The annual memorial at Nagasaki’s Peace Park is a mournful event, featuring ringing bells, the release of doves, and a prayer ceremony for the victims of the atomic bomb on Aug. 9, 1945. Hiroshima, which also holds a similar yearly ceremony on Aug. 6, has invited Israel to this year's ceremony.