NEW DELHI: India on Thursday expressed deep concern over the loss of civilian lives in Rafah and reiterated its support for a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict.
More than 50 people died and over 200 were injured when Israel struck a displacement camp in Rafah.
"The heartbreaking loss of civilian lives in the displacement camp in Rafah is a matter of deep concern. We have consistently called for protection of civilian population and respect for international humanitarian law in the ongoing conflict. We also note that the Israeli side has already accepted responsibility for it as a tragic accident and an investigation has been ordered in the incident," said Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
India has always supported a two-state solution for Palestine and was one of the first countries in the world to recognize them as a state.
"We have long supported the two-state solution which entails the establishment of a soverign state of Palestine within recognized and mutually agreed borders living side by side with Israel in peace," Jaiswal added.
Norway, Spain and Ireland have recently recognized Palestine as a state and other countries are likely to do the same.
"India, I am sure will be happy to hear that other nations are joining in to recognize Palestine as a state. India has always supported the two-state solution and was one of the first non-Arab nations to recognize Palestine as a state in 1988 and also recognize PLO in 1975," Palestinian Ambassador to India Adnan Abu Alhaija told The New Indian Express, adding that Slovania and Belgium are likely to recognize Palestine as a state too.
India opened its Representative Office to Palestine in Gaza City in 1996 which was shifted to Ramallah in 2003.
As of now, 146 out of 193 UN members have recognized the Palestinian state.
"There are some nations like Venezuela which despite having recognized Palestine do not have voting rights in the UN as they haven’t paid the annual fee. There are a few others like them, else the number of countries recognizing us would have been higher," added Ambassador Alhaija.