PM Modi meets Arab foreign ministers amid deadly Gaza strikes, reiterates support for Palestinian people

Modi meets Arabs amid Gaza violence

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday welcomed a delegation of Arab Foreign Ministers, the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, and heads of Arab delegations to India for the second India-Arab Foreign Ministers’ Meeting.

PM Modi highlighted the “deep and historic people-to-people ties between India and the Arab world,” noting that these connections have long inspired and strengthened relations across trade, investment, energy, technology and healthcare. The Prime Minister outlined his vision for India-Arab cooperation in the years ahead, reaffirming India’s commitment to deepen collaboration in areas that bring mutual benefit to both peoples.

Prime Minister Modi also reiterated India’s continued support for the people of Palestine and welcomed ongoing peace initiatives, including the Gaza peace plan. He expressed appreciation for the Arab League’s role in supporting regional peace and stability, emphasising that dialogue and diplomacy remain central to resolving conflicts.

The meeting coincided with renewed violence in Gaza, where hospitals reported at least 30 Palestinians, including several children, were killed in Israeli airstrikes on Saturday — one of the highest tolls since the October ceasefire, the Associated Press reported. The strikes hit an apartment building in Gaza City and a tent camp in Khan Younis, officials said, claiming the lives of two women and six children from different families. A separate strike on a police station in Gaza City killed at least 14, including four policewomen, according to Shifa Hospital director Mohamed Abu Selmiya.

Eyewitnesses described scenes of horror. Atallah Abu Hadaiyed told the AP, “We came running and found my cousins lying here and there, with fire raging. We don’t know if we’re at war or at peace, or what. Where is the truce? Where is the ceasefire they talked about?”

The strikes came a day before the Rafah crossing along the Egyptian border is set to reopen, providing a lifeline for tens of thousands of Palestinians needing treatment outside Gaza, where much of the medical infrastructure has been destroyed. Egypt condemned the Israeli attacks in “the strongest terms,” warning that they represent “a direct threat to the political course” of the truce.

Hamas described the strikes as “a renewed flagrant violation” and urged mediating countries, including the United States, to pressure Israel to halt the attacks. Senior Hamas official Bassem Naim said on X, “All available indicators suggest that we are dealing with a ‘Board of War,’ not a ‘Board of Peace.’”

Israel’s military stated that the strikes were carried out in response to alleged ceasefire violations, including an incident near Rafah a day earlier in which four militants were killed. As of Friday, Gaza’s Health Ministry reported at least 520 Palestinians killed by Israeli fire since the ceasefire began.

The stark contrast between diplomatic engagement in New Delhi and the unfolding humanitarian crisis in Gaza underscores the fragility of peace efforts in the region. While Prime Minister Modi emphasised India’s support for dialogue and stability, the rising civilian toll in Gaza highlights the urgent need for international mediation to prevent further loss of life.