New Delhi has expressed deep concern over the deteriorating situation in Gaza following Israel’s latest wave of airstrikes, which have reportedly killed more than 400 people and left hundreds injured. In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) emphasized the need for an immediate release of hostages and urged that humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza remain uninterrupted.
“We are concerned at the situation in Gaza. It is important that all hostages are released. We also call for the supply of humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza to be sustained,” the statement read.
Our statement on the situation in Gaza
https://t.co/shdlmZDEeI pic.twitter.com/cBeQ2w464Z
— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) March 19, 2025
The strikes, which began in the early hours of Tuesday, were part of what the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) described as “extensive strikes on terror targets belonging to Hamas” in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office later clarified that the strikes were carried out under the directives of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz.
According to Israeli authorities, the offensive was launched due to Hamas’s repeated refusal to release hostages and its rejection of multiple negotiation proposals mediated by the U.S., Egypt, and Qatar.
