PM Modi also reiterates India's long-standing principled position on the Israel-Palestine issue
Speaking with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday (October 19, 2023), Prime Minister Narendra Modi conveyed his condolences at the loss of civilian lives at the Al Ahli Hospital in Gaza, where an explosion on October 17, 2023 had left hundreds of people dead. Both Israel and the Palestine-based Hamas militant group have accused each other of carrying out an attack.
 
Prime Minister Modi said he shared India’s deep concern at the terrorism, violence and deteriorating security situation in the region. During the call, he also reiterated India's long-standing principled position on the Israel-Palestine issue, he added in a post on social media platform X.
 
"Spoke to the President of the Palestinian Authority H.E. Mahmoud Abbas. Conveyed my condolences at the loss of civilian lives at the Al Ahli Hospital in Gaza. We will continue to send humanitarian assistance for the Palestinian people. Shared our deep concern at the terrorism, violence and deteriorating security situation in the region. Reiterated India's long-standing principled position on the Israel-Palestine issue," Prime Minister Modi wrote on X. 
 
Prime Minister Modi had earlier expressed deep grief over the tragic loss of lives at the Al Ahli Hospital in Gaza. He had extended heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and prayed for speedy recovery of those injured.
 
In a post on X on October 18, 2023, Prime Minister Modi said, “Deeply shocked at the tragic loss of lives at the Al Ahli Hospital in Gaza. Our heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims, and prayers for speedy recovery of those injured. Civilian casualties in the ongoing conflict are a matter of serious and continuing concern. Those involved should be held responsible.”
 
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has squarely blamed Palestinian militants for the explosion at Al Ahli Hospital in Gaza. “The entire world should know: It was barbaric terrorists in Gaza that attacked the hospital in Gaza and not the Israel Defense Forces (IDF)," he said after the incident.
 
Hamas, on the other hand, accuses the Israeli forces of targeting the hospital and holds them responsible for killing and injuring people at the hospital in addition to the deaths of civilians in other parts of Gaza.
 
Earlier in the day, responding to questions at the weekly media briefing, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi had also reiterated India's position on Palestine, which is in favour of direct negotiations for establishing a two-state solution. 
 
"Our policy in this regard has been long-standing and consistent. India has always advocated the resumption of direct negotiations towards establishing a sovereign, independent, and viable state of Palestine, living within secure and recognized borders side by side at peace with Israel," the MEA Spokesperson had said at an earlier media briefing on October 12, 2023.
 
Palestine-based Hamas militants launched an unprecedented attack on Israeli locations on October 7, 2023, firing at least 2,500 rockets into the country.
 
Armed groups broke through the fencing around the Gaza Strip and attacked Israeli settlements, killing several hundred people including over 200 attending a music concert. The militants also took about 200 people, including women and children, hostage.
 
The Israeli Defence Forces have responded with their full might using air power to target what they say are locations of the Hamas leadership in the Gaza area. According to reports, over 4,000 people have been killed from both sides since October 7.