NEW DELHI: India on Wednesday expressed concern over the situation in Gaza following Israel resumed its bombardment of the region and called for the release of all hostages and sustained supply of humanitarian aid.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu refused to implement the second phase of a ceasefire agreed with Hamas, and more than 430 Palestinians, including 183 children, have been killed since Israel began attacking Gaza early on Tuesday.
The external affairs ministry reacted to the developments in a brief statement that said: “We are concerned at the situation in Gaza.”
The statement added, “It is important that all hostages are released.
“We also call for supply of humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza to be sustained.”
Israel has claimed the strikes on Gaza were ordered because of a lack of progress in negotiations to extend the ceasefire, which lasted just under two months. Netanyahu has said the new bombardment is “only the beginning” and all negotiations for a truce will take place “under fire”.
The Hamas, which triggered the conflict with its terror attacks on Israel in October 2023, has said it has not shut the door on negotiations despite the renewed Israeli bombardment but insisted there is no need for a new ceasefire agreement.
{{/usCountry}}The Hamas, which triggered the conflict with its terror attacks on Israel in October 2023, has said it has not shut the door on negotiations despite the renewed Israeli bombardment but insisted there is no need for a new ceasefire agreement.
{{/usCountry}}Gaza’s government media office has updated its death toll to more than 61,700 and said thousands of Palestinians missing under rubble are now presumed dead. The attacks by Hamas killed about 1,100 people in Israel.
The ceasefire, brokered by the US and key regional countries such as Egypt and Qatar, was based on the condition that Hamas would release hostages in exchange for prisoners held by Israel.
Meanwhile, tens of thousands of people joined an anti-government protest in Jerusalem on Wednesday to oppose the resumption of attacks on Gaza and Netanyahu’s efforts to fire Ronen Bar, chief of Shin Bet, the internal security agency.
Tensions between Netanyahu and the Shin Bet have grown after the agency’s internal investigation into the attacks by Hamas.
India has consistently called for a return to dialogue and diplomacy aimed at a two-state solution, while simultaneously condemning all acts of terrorism. It has also called for the resumption of sustained humanitarian assistance for the people of Gaza.