India calls for ceasefire in Gaza, says temporary pauses in hostilities not enough

India on Wednesday called for a ceasefire in Gaza, saying that “intermittent pauses in hostilities” amid Israel’s war on the Palestinian territory were inadequate to address the scale of challenges faced by its residents.

Highlighting the “persisting humanitarian crisis” in Gaza at a United Nations Security Council debate, Parvathaneni Harish, India’s permanent representative to the United Nations, said that residents of the country are grappling daily with “acute shortages of food and fuel, inadequate medical services and lack of access to education”.

There is a need to deliver humanitarian assistance in a safe, sustained and timely manner, Harish said during the Security Council debate on the “Situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question”.

“There is no substitute to peace,” the diplomat said. “A ceasefire must be put in place. All hostages must be released. Dialogue and diplomacy remain the only viable paths to achieving these objectives. There are no other fixes or solutions.”

Israel’s military offensive in Gaza began in October 2023 after Palestinian militant group Hamas killed 1,200 persons during its incursion into southern Israel and took hostages. Israel has been carrying out unprecedented air and ground strikes on Gaza since then, leaving more than 61,000 persons dead.

Tel Aviv has also enforced a severe blockade on humanitarian aid, which UN officials say...

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