Congress slams govt over 'indifference' to Gaza, calls PM's silence 'shameful'

The Congress on Monday accused the government of "indifference" to Israeli "genocide" in Gaza and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi's silence is "shameful, and goes against all that India has stood for".

Congress MP and general-secretary (communications) Jairam Ramesh said the Israeli "genocide" has now been questioned within Israel, including by their former prime minister.

"The Israeli genocide in Gaza continues unabated. In fact it is intensifying and assuming horrific new dimensions. A number of voices within Israel are beginning to speak out. The latest to express grave concern is a former PM of Israel himself," Ramesh said in a post on X.

"But the Government of India is supremely indifferent, not wanting to say or do anything that would affect the friendship of Mr. Netanyahu and Mr. Modi. The PM’s silence is disgraceful, shameful, and goes against all that India has stood for," he added.

The 'for PM of Israel' Ramesh is referring to is Ehud Olmert, who told Britain's Guardian newspaper on Sunday that a reported “humanitarian city” inside Gaza, intended to accommodate hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, would be a “concentration camp”.

Israel's hardline defence minister Israel Katz said last week that he had told the military to go ahead with plans for the zone, which will eventually hold Gaza's entire population. The area is reportedly to be built on the ruins of the city of Rafah, and once Palestinians enter it, they will not be allowed to leave. Alongside, Katz also spoke of implementing a plan for the emigration of Palestinians from Gaza.

Israeli strikes in the Gaza Strip killed at least 32 people on Sunday, including six children at a water collection point, while the Palestinian death toll passed 58,000 after 21 months of war, local health officials said.

Israel and Hamas appeared no closer to a breakthrough in indirect talks meant to pause the war and free some Israeli hostages after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Washington visit last week. One of the points which Hamas has flagged is that the planned ceasefire leaves about 40 per cent of Gaza's territory under Israeli control, including all of Rafah.

Israel says it will end the war only once Hamas surrenders, disarms and goes into exile, something it refuses to do. Hamas says it is willing to free all the remaining 50 hostages, about 20 said to be alive, in exchange for an end to the war and the full withdrawal of Israeli forces.

With PTI inputs