India Reiterates Call for Two-State Solution, Immediate Ceasefire in Gaza
Ambassador Harish called for urgent attention to ensuring uninterrupted humanitarian aid to Gaza, including food, fuel, and basic necessities, without hindrance or politicisation
New York: India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Harish Parvathaneni, on Wednesday emphasised the need for a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict. He urged purposeful dialogue and diplomacy to bring both parties together, while delivering a statement at the High-Level International Conference on "The Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of The Two-State Solution" in New York.
He highlighted the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, where tens of thousands have been killed and many more injured. Medical facilities have been damaged or destroyed, and children have been deprived of schooling for over 20 months.
Harish stressed that sustaining life must be above politics or conflict, reiterating India's call for an immediate ceasefire.
“Humanitarian assistance is vital in sustaining life and must remain outside the realm of politics or conflict. India has also been clear on the measures that must be undertaken in the short term — an immediate ceasefire, sustained and unimpeded humanitarian assistance, release of all hostages, and the path of dialogue and diplomacy. There are no alternatives to these measures,” he said.
He also appreciated the efforts of friendly states that have facilitated such measures between the conflicting parties.
Ambassador Harish called for urgent attention to ensuring uninterrupted humanitarian aid to Gaza, including food, fuel, and basic necessities, without hindrance or politicisation.
“Our efforts must now focus on how to bring about a two-state solution through purposeful dialogue and diplomacy, and bringing the parties to the conflict to engage directly with each other. The humanitarian assistance pillar demands our immediate attention and action. The human suffering in Gaza continues unabated,” he said.
“Palestinians in Gaza must have access to food, fuel and other necessities without hindrance,” he added.
India has consistently advocated for an immediate ceasefire, sustained humanitarian assistance, the release of all hostages, and meaningful dialogue as the only viable path forward.
Ambassador Harish also reiterated India’s readiness to contribute to achieving practical solutions that improve the lives of Palestinians and emphasised the importance of following through on action points discussed at the conference.
“It is also India’s earnest desire to see peace and calm prevail in the Middle East. Lasting solutions are required to achieve this. Certain action points are emerging from the Conference. Following up on them is the key. Let us not be content with paper solutions but strive to achieve practical solutions that actually make a tangible difference in the daily lives of our Palestinian brothers and sisters. India expresses its complete readiness to contribute to this noble endeavor,” he said.