India ‘deeply shocked’ over deaths in northern Gaza
The Indian foreign ministry on Friday expressed “deep shock” at the loss of civilian lives in northern Gaza in the latest incident, in which Israeli forces opened fire during the delivery of humanitarian aid. New Delhi has asserted that the situation unfolding in the Middle East continues to be a cause for “extreme concern.”
On Thursday, at least 104 Palestinians were killed and another 750 wounded at an aid distribution point west of Gaza. The enclave’s health ministry spokesperson Ashaf al-Qidra described it as an “unprovoked Israeli attack” on civilians waiting for a delivery.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) claimed only a few “warning shots” were fired to disperse the crowd of “looters” as they were “pushing and trampling” at the sight of the aid trucks. More than 30,000 Palestinians have now been killed in Gaza since October 7, according to the enclave’s health ministry.
In Friday’s statement, India’s Ministry of External Affairs reiterated its call for the “safe and timely delivery” of humanitarian aid and assistance for those caught in the conflict.
The South Asian nation has been observed walking a diplomatic tightrope in the Israel-Palestine conflict, which escalated after Hamas launched an unprecedented attack on Israeli towns that left approximately 1,200 people dead, as well as took over 200 hostages.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was one of the first world leaders to convey his condolences and unequivocally termed the October 7 attack an act of “terrorism.” Days later, Modi took to X (formerly Twitter) to mourn the loss of life in Gaza’s Al Ahli hospital, saying he was “shocked.” Later, Modi called for a diplomatic resolution to the conflict and advocated a two-state solution – the country’s official stance on the decades-old conflict.
Last year in October, India abstained from voting on a draft resolution at the United Nations (UN) calling for an immediate humanitarian truce. Weeks later, the country voted in favor of a United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
This week, addressing the UN Human Rights Council, India’s Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar emphasized that the situation in Gaza is of “great concern” and urged the world community to ensure the conflict does not spread “within or beyond the region.” He also reiterated New Delhi’s position that while terrorism was not acceptable, international efforts should focus on seeking a two-state solution so that Palestinian people can “live within secure borders.”
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