India expressed deep sorrow over the recent Israeli bombing in Rafah, calling the loss of Palestinian lives “heartbreaking” on Thursday.
The bombing on May 26 killed nearly 45 Palestinians, including children, in tents housing displaced persons.
The Indian Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, conveyed India’s stance during a weekly press briefing, emphasising that India had recognised the Palestinian state since the late 1980s.
“The heartbreaking loss of civilian lives in the displacement camp in Rafah is deeply concerning. We have consistently advocated for the protection of civilians and respect for international humanitarian law in the ongoing conflict. We also note that Israel has accepted responsibility, calling it a tragic accident, and has announced an investigation,” said Jaiswal.
Israeli forces have taken control of Gaza’s border with Egypt, engaging in heavy fighting as they advance deeper into Rafah city’s densely populated western area.
At least 25 Palestinians have been killed by continuous Israeli drone, artillery, and air strikes across the war-torn region. The UN’s World Food Programme has urgently called for a ceasefire, warning that their ability to aid the desperate and starving population is diminishing rapidly, with “Rafah on fire.”
Since October 7, 2023, at least 36,171 Palestinians have been killed and 81,420 wounded.
Israeli forces killed at least 12 Palestinians in a dawn airstrike on Rafah on Thursday and fighting raged in several other areas of the coastal enclave, Gaza medics told international media.
Israel began genocide in Rafah a day after saying its forces had taken control of a buffer zone along the nearby border between the Gaza Strip and Egypt.
Nearly 45 Palestinians, including children, were killed when Israeli bombs hit tents housing displaced persons in Rafah on May 26.
