At BRICS, India flags 'widespread anxiety' over spread of Gaza war

India, on Thursday, flagged “widespread anxiety” over the spread of the Israeli war on Gaza in the Middle East, Anadolu Agency reports.

“Situation in the Middle East, West Asia for us, is an understandable concern,” Indian Foreign Minister, S. Jaishankar, told the BRICS Outreach Session in Russia’s south-western city of Kazan, referring to the Israeli war on Gaza which has killed over 42,800 Palestinians.

“There is a widespread anxiety that the conflict would spread further in the region,” warned Jaishankar, as Israel continued its aerial bombardment of Lebanon since 1 October this year which has killed over 2,500 people.

“The human and material consequences of further escalation are truly serious. Any approach has to be fair and durable, leading to a two-state solution,” said Jaishankar.

Amid attacks by Yemen’s Houthis on ships moving towards Israel, the Indian Foreign Minister also noted that the maritime trade in the region has also been “deeply affected”.

READ: Macron ‘regrets’ Israel’s ongoing military operations in Lebanon

The Israeli army has continued a brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip since a cross-border attack by the Palestinian group, Hamas, last October, despite a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire.

More than 42,800 people have since been killed, mostly women and children, and over 100,500 others injured, according to local health authorities.

The Israeli onslaught on Gaza has displaced almost the entire population of the enclave amid an ongoing blockade that has led to severe shortages of food, clean water and medicine.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its actions in Gaza.

Since 1 October this year, Israel expanded the conflict by launching a ground assault into southern Lebanon.

At least 2,574 people have been killed and more than 12,000 injured in Israeli attacks since October last year, according to Lebanese health authorities.