Opposition parties the Congress and the JD (U) on Sunday condemned the attacks on the people of Israel, saying violence of any type never provides any solution and it must stop.
A full-fledged war broke out between the ruling Hamas militant group in the Gaza Strip and Israel, killing hundreds of people from both sides. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said his party has always believed that the legitimate aspirations of the people of Palestine must be fulfilled through dialogue while ensuring the national security concerns of Israelis.
“The Indian National Congress condemns the brutal attacks on the people of Israel,” he said on X, adding the party has always believed that the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people for a life of self-respect, equality and dignity must be fulfilled only through a process of dialogue and negotiations while ensuring the legitimate national security interests of the Israeli people.
“Violence of any type never provides a solution and must stop,” the Congress leader said.
Militants from Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, fired more than 3,000 rockets from the Gaza Strip into Israel on Saturday morning, according to the Israeli military, while Hamas fighters entered southern Israel by land, sea and air, using paragliders and even captured several Israeli soldiers near the border.
At least 350 Israelis, including soldiers, have been killed and more than 1,900 injured in Israel - the deadliest day for the country in at least 50 years. On the Gaza Strip side, there are nearly 300 deaths and about 1,500 wounded in Israel’s counterattack, media reports said on Sunday.
The Janata Dal (United) also condemned all kinds of violence and sought the UN’s intervention to restore peace as Israel launched retaliatory attacks in Gaza after Islamist group Hamas’ militants infiltrated into the country and killed hundreds of people.
JD (U) spokesperson K C Tyagi said his party stands with the “oppressed” people of Palestine and said Israel must respect the United Nations’ earlier resolutions and vacate the occupied territory of Palestine.
“This is not just the fight of Palestinian people. This is a struggle for humanity, for justice, and for the future of a world governed by law and not brute force. We stand with the oppressed people of Palestine,” he said in a statement.
Israeli soldiers battled Hamas fighters in the streets of southern Israel on Sunday and launched retaliation strikes that levelled buildings in Gaza.
In northern Israel, a brief exchange of strikes with Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group raised fears of a broader conflict.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declared that Israel is at war.