External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has voiced his concern over the civilian casualties in the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, stating that Palestinians have been deprived of their homeland. He also called on Israel to adhere to international humanitarian law in its ongoing retaliation following the deadly attack by Hamas on October 7. However, S Jaishankar recognized the October 7 attack as an act of "terrorism".
S Jaishankar expressed these views during a gathering with the Indian community at an event in Malaysia. He was quoted by news agency ANI as saying, "On one hand, what happened on October 7 was terrorism. On the other hand, nobody would condone the death of innocent civilians. Countries may feel justified in their responses, but every response must take into account something called international humanitarian law."
He further added, "Regardless of the rights and wrongs of the issue, there is an underlying issue of the rights of the Palestinians and the fact that they have been denied their homeland."
India has consistently supported the 'two-state solution' to the longstanding Israel-Palestine conflict. Meanwhile, the External Affairs Minister held a round-table meeting with CEOs of various companies in Malaysia, expressing appreciation for their growing interest in partnering with Indian industries.
On October 7, 2023, Hamas launched a deadly attack in the southern part of Israel, known as "the October 7 attack". The attack resulted in the massacre of hundreds of civilians, including women and children, and more than 200 Israelis were taken hostage, many of whom remain in Hamas custody in Gaza.
In response, Israel initiated a major military offensive against Hamas in Gaza, leading to the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the military offensive aimed to free all hostages under Hamas custody and "completely dismantle" the terrorist network in Gaza.
During the ongoing conflict, there was a brief ceasefire in November, during which nearly a hundred hostages under Hamas custody were released in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners lodged in Israeli jails. However, since then, efforts and negotiations to secure the release of the remaining Israeli hostages and end the war have failed. The war has resulted in the death of more than 32,000 people in Gaza, according to the Gaza ministry.
