PM Narendra Modi was one of the first world leaders to call out the October 7 assault by Hamas on Israel as a terror attack. He has condemned Tuesday’s strike on a hospital in Gaza, which killed 500 people. In a social media post on Wednesday, the PM said he was “deeply shocked” by the deaths in the attack and extended his condolences to the families of those killed.
He added that civilian casualties in the conflict must be a matter of “grave and continuing concern,” and those involved should be held responsible. The PM said India remains steadfast in supporting establishing a sovereign, independent, and viable State of Palestine.
Amid a bitter war between Israel and the Palestinian militant Hamas, a massive explosion rocked al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza City on Tuesday, killing hundreds of people. Both sides traded blame for the deadly incident, with Hamas blaming an Israeli airstrike while the Israeli Defence Forces stated that a rocket misfired by Islamic Jihad impacted the hospital.
Modi also lauded the IDF for its efforts to secure the safety of Israel and the Palestinians in a time of great difficulty. He said that a world full of conflicts and confrontations is in nobody’s interest, and we must strive to live in a time of peace, brotherhood, and development for all.
PM Modi’s statement comes amid a sharp escalation in hostilities between Israel and Hamas, which began on October 7 after the armed Hamas militants based in the Gaza Strip launched an unprecedented attack on Israel by land, air, and sea. Since then, the ensuing conflict has claimed more than 1,600 lives on both sides.
The BJP-led government in New Delhi and Israel have built a solid and strategic partnership over the years, which was further strengthened when Modi became India’s prime minister in 2014. Some analysts have linked India’s cozying to Israel to Modi’s Hindu nationalist party and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing Likud alliance with far-right ultranationalists who share an anti-Muslim agenda.
On Tuesday, PM Modi received a call from Netanyahu, and both leaders expressed deep condolences for those killed and wounded in the ongoing hostilities between Israel and Hamas. In a later tweet on X (formerly Twitter), the Prime Minister reaffirmed his country’s support for establishing a sovereign, inclusive, and independent State of Palestine and condemned terrorism in all its forms. The Prime Minister also called on both countries to act with “utmost restraint” and ensure the protection of civilians.
