India has expressed “extreme concern” after more than 100 Palestinians were killed in an alleged Israeli shooting and bombing in northern Gaza on Thursday. India has maintained a cautious position so far, calling for a two-state solution to the crisis, and expressing opposition to terror since the beginning of the conflict on October 7, 2023. India has been in contact with multiple stakeholders in this conflict, which has so far claimed more than 30,000 people.
“We are deeply shocked at the loss of lives in Northern Gaza yesterday during delivery of humanitarian assistance. Such loss of civilian lives and the larger humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to be a cause for extreme concern,” a statement from the Ministry of External Affairs declared on Friday evening.
The Israeli military action came amidst serious concerns about a famine-like situation prevailing in the tightly packed region that has been devastated by unrelenting bombing. The incident took place near the Gaza City in the northern part of Gaza which has experienced some of the worst Israeli bombings since the beginning of the crisis. According to Al Jazeera, Israeli soldiers shot and killed at least 112 and injured more than 750 after trucks carrying food were surrounded by Palestinians waiting for flour. Israel denied the report, blaming the crowd for threatening safety of its soldiers but eyewitnesses have confirmed that the shooting was unprovoked.
An Al Jazeera reporter who was present on the ground said that after the shooting, Israeli tanks ran over the dead and the injured. India has sent around 40 tonnes of humanitarian assistance for Gaza that was intended to be distributed to the conflict-affected civilians but there is no clarity if they received the material over the past several weeks.
Answering a question from The Hindu on Thursday, Official Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs Randhir Jaiswal described the humanitarian assistance as an “important part of our engagement with the Palestinian people”, adding, “Over the years, we have provided humanitarian assistance through UNRWA and also bilaterally. So, that is where it is. We will continue to provide assistance. We have done this recently as well, where exactly on your question, whether it has reached X or Y place, I don’t have an answer.”
