India has urged the international community to push for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, asserting that sporadic pauses in fighting are insufficient in light of the severe humanitarian crisis unfolding in the region.
At the UN Security Council’s Quarterly Open Debate on the Middle East, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Harish P, stressed the urgency of ending hostilities and ensuring the release of all Israeli hostages still held in Gaza.
“The path forward is clear and consistent — the ongoing human suffering must end,” he said. “Safe, sustained, and timely humanitarian aid must be delivered. Peace has no alternative. A ceasefire must be enforced. All hostages must be freed. Only dialogue and diplomacy can lead us to these goals; no shortcuts or substitutes exist.”
According to the Israeli military, 49 of the 251 hostages taken during Hamas’s 2023 assault remain in captivity, including 27 who are presumed dead.
India reaffirmed its support for a two-state solution, advocating for a sovereign, independent, and viable Palestinian state coexisting peacefully alongside Israel within secure, internationally recognised borders.
Meanwhile, Hamas has submitted its response to an Israeli ceasefire proposal involving a 60-day truce. After weeks of indirect negotiations in Qatar, Hamas has reportedly proposed changes related to aid access, Israeli military withdrawal maps, and assurances for a permanent end to hostilities.
Efforts continue in Doha to broker a deal that would secure a ceasefire and lead to the release of remaining hostages.
