Israel-Gaza war: India reaffirms call for ceasefire, two-state solution; urges uninterrupted aid supply

NEW DELHI: The ministry of external affairs (MEA) on Thursday reiterated India’s consistent stance on the Israel-Gaza conflict- calling for an immediate ceasefire, the unconditional release of hostages, and the uninterrupted supply of humanitarian aid, while firmly backing a two-state solution.“Our position on the conflict has been clear and consistent. There has been no change. We continue to call for a ceasefire, unconditional release for hostages, continued supply of humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza, and we stand for a two-state solution,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said at the ministry’s weekly media briefing.The comments came amid reports of worsening humanitarian conditions in Gaza. According to Al Jazeera, cited by ANI, four more hunger-related deaths were reported in the last 24 hours, raising the total number of starvation-related fatalities to 239.Meanwhile, Israel’s coordinator of government activities in the territories (Cogat) rejected claims that it was blocking humanitarian aid to Gaza. “The reality is entirely the opposite of the claims that were published. Israel acts to allow and facilitate the entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, while Hamas seeks to exploit the aid to strengthen its military capabilities and consolidate its control over the population,” Cogat said in a post on X.Cogat stated that under a newly introduced mechanism involving registered organisations, around 300 aid trucks enter Gaza daily. On August 13, nearly 380 trucks passed through the Kerem Shalom and Zikim crossings, with over 400 trucks distributed by the UN and other international organisations. It added that efforts would continue to expand humanitarian assistance for Gaza’s civilian population.