Prime Minister Narendra Modi has spoken to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to convey his condolences over the loss of lives following the bombing of Al Ahli Hospital in Gaza. Hundreds of people died in hospital on Monday, sparking protests across the Arab world and a series of denials from Israel, which has been blamed for the rocket attack.
Health authorities in Hamas-controlled Gaza said the explosion killed between 200 and 300 people in hospital and was caused by an Israeli airstrike in retaliation for the Islamist group’s attack on October 7.
“Spoke with the President of the Palestinian Authority, HE Mahmoud Abbas. I conveyed my condolences over the loss of civilian lives at Al Ahli Hospital in Gaza. We will continue to send humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people. Share our deep concerns over terrorism, violence and deteriorating security situation in the region. Reiterated India’s long-standing principled stand on the Israeli-Palestinian issue,” PM Modi posted today on X, formerly Twitter.
Spoke with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. I conveyed my condolences on the loss of civilian lives at Al Ahli Hospital in Gaza. We will continue to send humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people. We shared our deep concern about terrorism,…
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 19, 2023
This was Prime Minister Modi’s second post in support of the Palestinians, whose cause has traditionally received Indian support. But in recent times, India and Israel have also strengthened bilateral ties, especially after Prime Minister Modi’s visit to the Jewish nation in 2017. At the time, he did not. head to Ramallah to meet the Palestinian leadership – prompting many to infer a turning point.
This time, Prime Minister Modi said in a social media post on Tuesday that he was “deeply shocked” by the deaths in the attack and offered his condolences to the families of the dead.
Israel has blamed a Palestinian group for the attack and is questioning everything from evidence of deaths, bomb craters and images of the demolished hospital. Israel’s ally, the US, has said initial findings indicate Israel was not responsible for the bombing.
US President Joe Biden, who is currently visiting Israel, has said that an “errant rocket” fired by a “terrorist group” caused a devastating explosion at the hospital in Gaza.
Biden’s planned visit to Jordan on Tuesday was canceled after the bombing, derailing US efforts to mobilize Arab support for Israel’s “right to defend itself.”
