Looking To See Indian Flag In Gaza: Palestine Envoy

The Charge d’affaires of the Palestinian Embassy to India, Abed Elrazeg Abu Jazer, on Thursday said that India can play an “important role” in facilitating humanitarian assistance for the people of Gaza following the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas after over an year of intense conflict.

The Palestinian envoy appreciated India’s involvement in the region and stated that Palestinians are keenly interested in seeing the “Indian flag in Gaza” as part of efforts to provide critical assistance to those in need.

“We are looking to India to play an important role in sending humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza…We are keen, we are interested…and we are looking to see the Indian flag in Gaza,” he said.

Abu Jazer highlighted the long and historic relationship between India and Palestine, noting that the two countries have shared ties since before India’s independence.

He further acknowledged the respect that Palestinian leaders and other regional leaders hold for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, describing him as a wise and experienced leader who has cultivated strong relationships with leaders across the region.

“We really appreciate and respect the involvement of India in the area and in West Asia; we always encourage India to play an important role in the area and in the region to reach peace and prosperity… We are keen and are looking forward to and are interested in the role of India. Because India and us, we are sharing a long and historic relationship, even before the independence,” Abu Jazer said.

“And the second thing is it’s coming through our belief as Palestinians of all the world and all the partners in the area in the West Asia and the Middle East about the importance of this of the Indian country and about the respect of the Prime Minister Modi from all the leaders in the area,” he added.

The Palestinian Charge d’affaires also emphasised the importance of India’s continued involvement in peace efforts, particularly in ensuring the long-term success of the ceasefire deal. He expressed hope that Prime Minister Modi’s diplomatic influence could help bring stability and prosperity to the region.

“PM Modi is a wise man and he has a lot of experience and good connections and relationships with all the presidents and the prime ministers, and he’s always considering being in dialogue and in connection with these leaders. We hope also to use his personal effect with all partners to reach stabilities and prosperities in the area and to make the ceasefire long-term and to go for a new area,” he further stated.

Earlier on Wednesday, Qatar, Egypt, and the US, in a joint statement, confirmed that Israel and Hamas have reached a ceasefire and hostage release deal that is likely to take effect on January 19.

The Qatar Foreign Ministry, in a statement on Wednesday, said that both parties have reached an agreement to release hostages in exchange of hostages and prisoners.

US President Joe Biden also announced the successful negotiation of a ceasefire and hostage deal between Israel and Hamas, ending over 15 months of conflict. The deal, structured in three phases, includes a complete ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, and the release of hostages, including Americans, in the first phase.

Biden also highlighted the diplomatic effort involved, noting the pressure from Israel and US support, as well as a coalition of 20 countries that stood against attacks from the Houthis.

Following the ceasefire and hostage deal between Israel and Hamas, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu engaged in discussions with US President-elect Donald Trump and current President Joe Biden.

India has also welcomed the agreement on the release of hostages and ceasefire in Gaza.

The Ministry of External Affairs affirmed hope that the deal leads to a “safe and sustained supply” of humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza.

“We welcome the announcement of the agreement for the release of hostages and a ceasefire in Gaza. We hope this will lead to a safe and sustained supply of humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza,” the statement read.

MEA further reiterated India’s call for return to dialogue and diplomacy.

“We have consistently called for release of all hostages, ceasefire, and return to a path of dialogue and diplomacy,” the statement added.

Hamas launched a horrific terror attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, killing over 1200 civilians and holding over 250 as hostages, of which around 100 are still in captivity.

In response, Israel launched a massive counter-attack targeting Hamas units in the Gaza Strip. The reponse, however, has also drawn criticism from several humanitarian groups over the high number of civilian killings. According to the Gaza health ministry, over 45,000 people have been killed in Gaza, over half of whom are women and children. (ANI)