New Delhi:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi on Saturday discussed the worsening security and humanitarian situation in West Asia. Both leaders expressed their concern over the increase in terrorism, violence, and civilian casualties in the area, largely owing to the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.
PM Modi and President el-Sisi agreed on the need to quickly restore peace and stability and to provide humanitarian assistance to those who have been affected by the conflict.
“Yesterday, spoke with President @AlsisiOfficial. Exchanged views on the deteriorating security and humanitarian situation in West Asia. We share concerns regarding terrorism, violence, and loss of civilian lives. We agree on the need for early restoration of peace and stability and facilitating humanitarian assistance,” PM Modi wrote on X.
Yesterday, spoke with President @AlsisiOfficial. Exchanged views on the deteriorating security and humanitarian situation in West Asia. We share concerns regarding terrorism, violence and loss of civilian lives. We agree on the need for early restoration of peace and stability…
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 29, 2023
The two leaders also exchanged views on the latest developments in the “Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip”, a spokesperson for the Egyptian Presidency said.
“President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi received a phone call from Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India, in which views were exchanged between the two leaders on the latest developments in the Israeli military operations in the Gaza strip, and the danger of continuing the current escalation, whether due to its grave effects on the lives of civilians, or the threat it poses to security,” a Facebook post from the spokersperson read.
The October 7 attack by Hamas killed at least 1,400 people, mostly civilians, in Israel. In retaliation, Israeli airstrikes in Gaza have killed more than 8,000 people, half of them children, the Hamas-controlled health ministry in the besieged Palestinian territory has said.
India on Friday abstained from a UN General Assembly resolution that called for an immediate humanitarian truce in the Israel-Hamas war, saying that the resolution does not mention Hamas and that the UN needs to send a clear message against terrorism.
“We hope that the deliberations of this assembly will send a clear message against terror and violence and expand prospects for diplomacy and dialogue while addressing the humanitarian crisis that confronts us,” said India’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations Yojna Patel.
India expressed grave concern over the worsening situation in Gaza and urged both sides to cease hostilities and pursue a peaceful resolution through dialogue.