India on Wednesday expressed profound concern over the escalating violence in Gaza, where Israeli airstrikes killed over 400 people, shattering a nearly two-month-long truce. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stressed the need for an immediate de-escalation of hostilities, highlighting the importance of securing the release of all hostages and ensuring uninterrupted humanitarian aid for the suffering civilians in Gaza. The MEA reiterated India’s longstanding support for a two-state solution, calling for both Israel and Palestine to resume dialogue for a peaceful resolution.
The recent wave of strikes, described by Palestinian health officials as the deadliest since the January ceasefire, hit homes, marketplaces, and tent encampments, leaving widespread destruction from the north to the south of the Gaza Strip. Eyewitnesses reported missiles hitting Gaza City late on Tuesday, with rescue workers struggling to pull survivors from the rubble. Hospitals, already overwhelmed with casualties, face severe shortages of medicine, fuel, and clean water.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the strikes, claiming they were a necessary response to Hamas’s rejection of ceasefire extension proposals. He accused the militant group of continuing to pose a direct threat to Israel’s security. Hamas, which still holds 59 of the approximately 250 hostages taken during its October 7, 2023, assault on Israel, blamed the Israeli government for sabotaging efforts by international mediators to broker a lasting truce. The group called Israel’s actions a deliberate attempt to escalate tensions but stopped short of threatening immediate retaliation.
In response to the renewed violence, Israel suspended aid deliveries into Gaza for more than two weeks, intensifying the humanitarian crisis. Basic necessities like food, water, and medical supplies have become increasingly scarce, with aid agencies warning of a looming famine. The United Nations expressed alarm, urging Israel to allow humanitarian corridors to reopen and calling for a return to negotiations.
Egypt, Qatar, and the United States — key mediators in the ceasefire talks — condemned the Israeli assault, warning that the collapse of the truce could derail any hopes for peace. The European Union also voiced its disappointment, stating that it "deplores the breakdown of the ceasefire and the tragic loss of civilian lives on both sides."
Negotiations between Israel and Hamas had been ongoing in Doha, where mediators worked to narrow the gap between the two sides. An earlier phase of the ceasefire had led to the release of 33 Israeli hostages and five Thai nationals in exchange for around 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. Israel had been pushing for the return of the remaining hostages in exchange for extending the truce through the Muslim holy month of Ramzan and the Jewish Passover holiday in April.
The war, now dragging into its 17th month, began after Hamas-led militants launched a deadly attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people and capturing dozens of hostages, according to Israeli figures. In response, Israel launched a relentless military campaign against Hamas, which has claimed the lives of over 48,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s health authorities. The spiraling violence has displaced hundreds of thousands of families, leaving Gaza’s already fragile infrastructure on the brink of total collapse.
As global calls for restraint grow louder, India reaffirmed its commitment to supporting peace efforts in the region. The MEA underlined the urgent need for a humanitarian corridor to deliver food, water, and medical supplies to Gaza’s besieged population, emphasizing that civilian lives must be protected at all costs. India also urged both parties to return to the negotiating table, underscoring that only dialogue and diplomacy can pave the way for lasting peace and stability in the region.
