On Tuesday, 10 October, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to his counterpart from Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, and said that India "strongly and unequivocally condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations."
"I thank Prime Minister Netanyahu for his phone call and providing an update on the ongoing situation. People of India stand firmly with Israel in this difficult hour," Modi said on his 'X' handle.
Earlier on Saturday, the Indian PM had reacted to the conflict and said that he is "shocked."
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the innocent victims and their families. We stand in solidarity with Israel at this difficult hour," he had said.
The opposition's Indian National Congress (INC), had passed on Monday, 9 October, reiterated its support for the Palestinians and called for an "immediate cease-fire" between Israel and Hamas, a day after the party had stated that it "condemns brutal attacks on the people of Israel" while also expressing solidarity with the "legitimate aspirations" of the Palestinian people.
The resolution, passed by the Congress Working Committee (CWC) and shared on Congress' 'X' handle, expressed concern over the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas and urged an end to hostilities while affirming their support for the rights of the Palestinian people.
The Conflict
More than 900 Israelis and some 500 Palestinians have been killed amid heavy fighting and bombardment following the largest attack by the Palestinian armed group Hamas against Israel in decades.
Gaza’s Ministry of Health said at least 560 Palestinians had been killed and 2900 more had been wounded in Israeli air raids on the enclave since Saturday, when Hamas launched its multipronged offensive on Israel.
In Israel, the number of people killed has reached 900 , with more than 2,500 wounded.
The Israeli military said it hit more than 1,000 targets in Gaza, including air raids that levelled much of the town of Beit Hanoon, known as Erez to Israelis, in the enclave’s northeast corner. The United Nations said more than 137,000 Palestinians in Gaza had been displaced amid the intense bombardment.
Gun battles also continued between Hamas fighters and Israeli forces in three key areas in southern Israel, while Israel's military reported that they have regained control of most of the border with Gaza and claimed to have cause significant damage to Hamas and taken dozens as prisoners.
A spokesperson for the Israeli military told Al Jazeera that the country has mobilized 300,000 reserve troops in proximity to Gaza.
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