Indian foreign minister says he spoke to Palestinian prime minister

Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar spoke to Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh on Saturday amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, Anadolu Agency reports.

“He expressed deep concern on the situation in both Gaza and the West Bank,” Jaishankar wrote on X. “Reiterated India’s long-standing position on Palestine. Agreed to remain in touch.”

Despite traditionally supporting a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had called an offensive by Hamas that started the new conflict a series of “terrorist attacks.”

Days later, after he spoke to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Modi said he reiterated India’s “principled position” on the issue.

India has sent humanitarian assistance for the Palestinian people and has maintained it would send more.

Israel resumed its military offensive on the Gaza Strip on Dec. 1 after the end of a week-long humanitarian pause with the Palestinian group Hamas.

More than 17,700 Palestinians have been killed and over 46,480 injured in relentless air and ground attacks on the enclave since Oct. 7 following a cross-border attack by the Palestinian resistance group, Hamas.

The Israeli death toll in the Hamas attack stood at 1,200, according to official figures.

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