United Nations, May 1 India has said it is ready to work closely with parties in the Gaza conflict to bring peace to the region and reiterated its calls for a ceasefire and the release of hostages.
"It is India's desire to see peace and calm prevail in West Asia, and we stand ready to work closely with all concerned stakeholders towards realising this vision," Permanent Representative P. Harish told the Security Council on Wednesday during a debate on Palestine.
India is one of the few countries to have close, direct, and open relations with both Israel and Palestine.
He did not mention Israel or Hamas by name, even as he condemned the terrorist attack on Israel carried out by Hamas and spoke of the suffering since Israel resumed operations it had launched as retaliation for the terror strike.
This reflects India itself being a victim of terrorism that has been developing close defence ties with Israel while balancing its historic relations with Palestine and the Arab world.
"Terrorism is unacceptable, whatever be the grievances, which must be addressed only through peaceful means," Harish said, noting that India was among the first countries to condemn the terrorist attacks that took place on October 7, 2023.
With the collapse of a temporary ceasefire, 'unfortunately, operations have since resumed," and "civilians, including women and children, are the biggest casualties in any conflict."
The ceasefire that came into force in January was broken in March when Israel resumed air strikes and ground operations against Hamas, and the slow, reluctant release of Israeli hostages by Hamas also stopped.
"A ceasefire must be in place at the earliest, humanitarian assistance must flow without any hurdles, and all hostages must be released," Harish said.
India, he said, "calls on all concerned parties to shun violence, release hostages and pursue the track of negotiations so that all people can lead normal lives."
Dialogue and diplomacy are the only way to end the conflict, and a two-state solution of Israel and Palestine as sovereign nations living side by side is the formula for "enduring and sustainable peace," he said.
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