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'Israel's action genocidal, India should...': Congress' new statement on Gaza war
Congress earlier issued two statements after the October 7 attack on Israel – one condemning the attack and the second supporting Palestine.
The Congress on Friday issued a new statement on the Israel-Hamas war and condemned Israel's actions terming them genocidal. The top Israeli leadership are making statements making the genocidal intent clear and PM Benjamin Netanyahu himself called for turning parts of Gaza "to rubble", the Congress statement noted, urging the Indian government to pressurise the governments of the US, Israel and the EU to stop the violence.
In a statement issued by Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh, the party said it is shocking that many influential countries are lending their "unstinting support" to Israel's actions. "The double standards being applied in Ukraine and in Gaza is apparent," the statement said.
"The need of the hour is to de-escalate and to declare a ceasefire immediately. The world cannot watch in silence as a second Nakba unfolds and the ethnic cleansing and dispossession of the Palestinians, as was done in 1948, is carried out once again with impunity," the statement read.
Before Friday's statement, the Congress issued at least two statements on the Israel-Hamas issue after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7. In its first statement, Congress condemned the attack on Israel and said violence never provides any solution. After a Congress Working Committee meeting, the party issued another statement in which it underlined its support of the Palestinian people's right to "land (and) self-government, and to live with dignity and respect".
Friday's statement came Gaza's largest hospital Al Shifa hospital was bombed and the Israel Defense Forces started raiding the hospital suspecting a command centre of the Hamas underneath the hospital. The IDF claimed it had uncovered a Hamas tunnel shaft and a vehicle with weapons at the Al Shifa hospital complex. Gaza health ministry said 24 patients died in the hospital in the last two days owing to power cuts as the IDF was combing through the hospital looking for Hamas hideouts.
PM Modi condemned the October 7 attack on Israel and assured Palestine of India's long-standing principles position on the Israel-Palestine issue. At the Global South Summit on Friday, PM Modi said, "India has condemned the horrific terrorist attacks in Israel on October 7. Along with restraint, we have also emphasised on dialogue and diplomacy. We strongly condemn the deaths of civilians in the conflict between Israel and Hamas".
