India Voices 'Great Concern' over Situation in War-Ravaged Gaza

Expressing concern over the conflict in Gaza in his video address at the 55th Session of the UN Human Rights Council, EAM S Jaishankar said that terrorism and hostage-taking are unacceptable and that international humanitarian law must always be respected.

Geneva: Underling that the conflict in Gaza is of great concern, India on Monday said the humanitarian crisis arising from conflicts required a sustainable solution that gives immediate relief to those most affected. Addressing the 55th Session of the UN Human Rights Council, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that terrorism and hostage-taking are not acceptable and hoped that the conflict does not spread within or beyond the region.

India strongly condemned the terror attack by Hamas on October 7 last year. At the same time, we must be clear that terrorism and hostage-taking are unacceptable, he said in his address via video link from New Delhi. He said that international humanitarian law must always be respected.

It is vital that the conflict does not spread within or beyond the region, he said, adding that the efforts must also focus on seeking a two-state solution where Palestinian people can live within Israelis. Speaking at an interactive session at the Munich Security Conference earlier this month, Jaishankar had highlighted India's long-held position on the Palestine issue.

"Certainly India has long believed in a two-state solution. We have maintained that position for many decades and, I think, today many more countries in the world feel not just that the two-state solution is necessary, but it is more urgent than it was before," he said.

Israel has stepped up its military offensive in Gaza as part of its retaliation to the unprecedented attack on Israeli cities by Hamas militants on October 7. Hamas killed around 1,200 people in Israel and kidnapped more than 220 others some of whom were released during a brief ceasefire.

Nearly 30,000 people have been killed in Gaza in the Israeli offensive, according to authorities there. India has been calling for de-escalation of the situation and creating conditions for an early resumption of direct peace negotiations towards a two-state solution to the Palestine issue.