India has a ‘Significant Role’ in Resolving Gaza Violence: Palestinian PM Mustafa

Palestinian PM Muhammad Mustafa urges India to leverage its diplomatic influence to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and calls for an immediate ceasefire.

Palestinian Prime Minister Muhammad Mustafa has called on India to play a crucial role in resolving the ongoing violence in Gaza. In a letter dated June 12, Mustafa congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his re-election and emphasized India's potential to influence a peaceful resolution. Describing the Israeli actions as "genocide," Mustafa urged India to use diplomatic channels to advocate for an immediate ceasefire and to increase humanitarian aid to Gaza.

Mustafa's letter highlights the severity of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, referring to it as a catastrophe that demands immediate and decisive action. He appeals to India, a nation that values human rights and peace, to intervene and help alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people.

This letter follows previous communications from Mustafa to Modi and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar in May. In those letters, Mustafa blamed the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) for the death of former Indian Army Colonel Waibhav Anil Kale, who was working as a security coordinator with the United Nations in Gaza. India has refrained from attributing blame for Kale's death, awaiting the United Nations' investigation results.

India continues to uphold its longstanding support for a "two-state solution" to the Israel-Palestine conflict while maintaining strong bilateral relations with Israel. The ongoing conflict has also affected the India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) project, a significant infrastructure initiative launched during the 2023 G-20 meeting in New Delhi. The IMEC, which includes Israel, was discussed at the G-7 Summit in Borgo Egnazia, Italy. The G-7 communique issued at the summit's conclusion emphasized the group's commitment to promoting projects like the IMEC.

As India navigates its diplomatic stance, the global community watches closely, anticipating how one of the world's largest democracies will address the escalating crisis in Gaza.