Israel is currently embroiled bloody conflict with Hamas militants who control the Gaza strip. More than 10,000 Palestinians have been killed in the counter-offensive launched by the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF).

Israel Hamas War Latest Update: The United Nations has passed a resolution condemning Israel’s settlement activities in occupied Palestinian territory. The draft resolution, which was approved on November 9 (Thursday), was passed with overwhelming majority, with 145 nations, including India, voting in favour and against the “illegal Israeli settlements”.

The resolution titled “Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and the occupied Syrian Golan” was introduced by the UN to condemn “illegal settlement activities of Israel in Palestinian lands”.

Only seven countries– United States, Canada, Israel, Hungary, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, and Nauru– voted against the resolution, while 18 members abstained from voting.

India has reiterated its stance on Israel-Palestine conflict and although it maintains cordial ties with the jewish nation, New Delhi has maintained that it is in favour of the two-state solution which envisions a separate Palestinian state free from any kind of Israeli influence.

PM Modi reiterates India’s stance on Israel-Palestine conflict

On October 18– 10 days after the war between Hamas fighters and Israel broke out– Prime Minister Narendra Modi dialed up Palestine Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and reiterated India’s long-standing “principled position” on the Israel-Palestine issue.

Modi told Abbas that India stands firm on the two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict. He also said that New Delhi will continue to send humanitarian assistance for the Palestinian people.

In a phone conversation, PM Modi, at the same time, shared with Abbas India’s “deep concern” over terrorism, violence and deteriorating security situation in the region, an official statement had said.

“Spoke to the President of the Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas. Conveyed my condolences at the loss of civilian lives at the Al Ahli Hospital in Gaza,” PM Modi said on ‘X’.

“We will continue to send humanitarian assistance for the Palestinian people. Shared our deep concern at the terrorism, violence and deteriorating security situation in the region,” he said.

“Reiterated India’s long-standing principled position on the Israel-Palestine issue,” the prime minister added.

India calls for strict observance of international humanitarian law

Speaking amidst the backdrop of an attack on a hospital in Gaza strip which triggered global outrage, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said India is concerned over civilian casualties and the humanitarian situation.

We would urge strict observance of international humanitarian law, he said at his weekly media briefing while replying to questions on the attack on the hospital which left at least 500 Palestinians dead.

We have strongly condemned the horrific attack on Israel, Bagchi had said, adding the international community must stand together in combating terrorism in all its forms.

On the Palestine issue, he said India reiterated its position in favour of direct negotiations for a two-state solution.

Recently, Israeli ambassador Naor Gilon had urged India to proscribe Gaza-based militant group Hamas as a terrorist organisation. “It is time for India to declare Hamas as terrorist organisation in India,” Gilon had said, adding many countries have already done that.

Israel-Hamas war

Israel is currently embroiled bloody conflict with Hamas militants who control the Gaza strip.
Since the start of hostilities, more than 10,000 Palestinians have been killed in the counter-offensive launched by the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) in retaliation to the October 7 attacks.

According to official Israeli sources, at least 1,400 Israelis and foreign nationals have been killed in Israel.

3 infants die as Gaza hospital goes ‘out of service’

On Saturday, three babies reportedly died in the neonatal unit of Al-Shifa hospital located in northern Gaza after the hospital went “out of service” amid continuous Israeli fire in the vicinity, CNN reported quoting the Hamas-controlled Ministry of Health.

As per the report, quoting Dr. Munir Al-Bursh, Director-General of the Hamas-controlled Ministry of Health that the doctors in the neonatal ward are now being forced to carry out artificial respiration by hand on the 36 babies that they are treating in the hospital.

Bursh also said the hospital was “surrounded from all four directions,” estimating that 400 people were being treated at the hospital and around 20,000 displaced people seeking shelter in the hospital complex.

The spokesman for the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza, Dr. Ashraf al-Qidra said he was trapped inside the al-Shifa complex.

Dr. Qidra said in a statement to CNN that the complex is currently “out of service” after repeatedly being targeted by Israeli fire.

“The intensive care unit, pediatric department, and oxygen devices have stopped working,” Dr. Qidra said.

The IDF has regularly said that Hamas is using Gaza hospitals and other civilian infrastructure as cover for its military operations. It has also warned civilians in northern Gaza to move south, CNN reported.

(With inputs from agencies)