New Delhi: After Israeli airstrikes killed over 400 people in renewed attacks on Gaza, India described the situation as “concerning”, calling for the release of all hostages and the unimpeded supply of humanitarian aid, while Arab and EU leaders strongly criticised Israel.
In the early hours of Tuesday (March 18), Israel launched a fresh wave of airstrikes, killing more than 400 people as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared an end to the three-month-old ceasefire.
A day later, the Indian government issued a brief statement that remained consistent with its stance since the start of the Gaza war – avoiding criticism of Israel while addressing humanitarian aid for Palestinians.
“We are concerned at the situation in Gaza. It is important that all hostages are released. We also call for supply of humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza to be sustained,” said the external affairs ministry’s press note.
Notably, the statement made no mention of Israel. Nor did it call for an end to the violence, support a ceasefire or advocate for negotiations.
In January, India had welcomed the announcement of a ceasefire agreement, stating that New Delhi has “consistently called for release of all hostages, ceasefire and return to a path of dialogue and diplomacy”.
Last September, India abstained from a widely backed UN General Assembly resolution calling for an end to Israel’s occupation of Gaza and the West Bank within a year.
India had also abstained from a UN Human Rights Council resolution that called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and an arms embargo on Israel.
In a televised speech on Tuesday after Israel broke the ceasefire, Netanyahu claimed that Hamas was responsible for the death of Palestinian civilians.
“They are the ones who are responsible for all unintended casualties,” he said. “Palestinian civilians should avoid any contact with Hamas terrorists, and I call on the people of Gaza, get out of harm’s way. Move to safer areas. Because every civilian casualty is a tragedy and every civilian casualty is the fault of Hamas”.
According to Gaza’s health ministry, 436 people, including 183 children, were killed in strikes since Tuesday.
At least one UN staff member was killed after a UN site was attacked on Wednesday morning.
Meanwhile, the Israeli military has launched a “limited ground operation” to retake part of a key Gaza corridor.
The Israel Defence Forces posted on X that forces “took control and re-extended their control to the centre of the Netzarim corridor”.
Israeli troops had withdrawn from the corridor, a military zone that divides Gaza into northern and southern halves, as part of the ceasefire agreement in January.
Troops had earlier patrolled the corridor, partly to prevent evacuated Palestinians from returning to the north of the territory.
The ceasefire agreement which came into force on the last full day of the previous Biden administration entailed Israel and Hamas beginning discussions for a permanent end to the violence after two weeks of the ceasefire holding.
However, the Israeli government refused to enter into talks with Hamas.
Hamas has released 25 Israeli hostages and the bodies of eight others as part of the first phase of the ceasefire agreement.
Israel has released nearly 1,800 prisoners, while its troops withdrew, allowing Palestinians to return to their ravaged houses.
However, Netanyahu has sought to change the terms of the ceasefire agreement under a friendlier Trump administration.
Last week, US special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff presented proposals for new terms that include the release of more hostages before starting negotiations for a definite end to the war.
After the ceasefire was broken, the Israeli government announced the return and reappointment of far-right politician Itamar Ben Gvir as national security minister.
His party, which is crucial for Netanyahu’s political survival and avoiding elections, had left the coalition government after Israel agreed to the ceasefire with Hamas.
Israeli opposition leaders issued statements that called for the return of hostages, but indicated that Netayanhu may have re-started the war due to political considerations.
“The military operation should focus on creating the conditions for the return of the kidnapped, and decisions should be made in light of operational considerations – not politics,” Yoav Gallant, who served as defence minister until he was fired in November, wrote on X.
Meanwhile, families of hostages marched to the Gaza border on Tuesday to oppose the decision to relaunch the airstrikes, while protestors returned to the streets of Tel Aviv.
There are still 24 Israeli hostages believed to be alive.
According to Yehuda Cohen, the father of Nimrod Cohen, an Israeli soldier who is still being held hostage by Hamas militants, Israel resumed strikes on Gaza for political reasons.
“We already see [the far-right political party of] Ben-Gvir coming back to the coalition, coming back to Netanyahu,” Cohen told DW.
“This is the only reason Netanyahu did it. He doesn’t care for the hostages, he’s only caring for his personal survival, his coalition to survive.”
World leaders have said the renewed bombing campaign jeopardises efforts to free the remaining hostages.
Egypt, which mediated the ceasefire alongside Qatar and the US, accused Israel of using the airstrikes to “force” Palestinians into displacement.
Jordan’s King Abdullah urged a return to the ceasefire. “Israel’s resumption of attacks on Gaza is an extremely dangerous step that adds further devastation to an already dire humanitarian situation,” he said.
Qatar called on the international community to press Israel to implement an immediate ceasefire, honour the ceasefire agreement and resume negotiations.
