’Israel is doing its utmost to prevent loss of lives’: Ambassador Naor Gilon as Gaza death toll reaches 9,061
Israel-Hamas war: Israel has been bombing Gaza and causing the deaths of thousands of Palestinians in the ongoing conflict with Hamas.
Israel-Hamas war: Israeli Ambassador to India Naor Gilon on Thursday said that Tel Aviv is “doing its utmost to prevent humanitarian suffering and loss of lives”. The statement comes at a time when Gaza health ministry has announced that 9,061 Palestinians have lost their lives to Israeli airstrikes since the Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sanctioned bombardment began following a Hamas attack on 7 October.
Israel also bombed the Jabalia refugee Camp in Palestine's Gaza thrice killing hundreds of civilians, in the biggest massacre of Israel's fight with Hamas.
In an interview with PTI, Naor Gilon defended his stance and said, “We took three weeks before we went on ground operation. We told the population in Gaza to go South. Unfortunately, many did not because there was pressure on them by Hamas. Traditionally, they (Hamas) are hiding behind human shields”.
Notably, Palestinians were warned by Israel Defense Forces to move towards South Gaza from the North, alerting them of an impending ground incursion. However, in these ‘three week’ Israel did not cease fire or stop bombing the Gaza Strip, leaving the Palestinians vulnerable and scrambling to survive irrespective of their geographical location.
The Israeli ambassador also asserted that his government was in support of providing humanitarian assistance to people in Gaza.
Notably, Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu declared a complete seize of Gaza, thereby blocking their access to food, fuel, and water, triggering a massive ‘catastrophe’, which has caused 16 hospitals to shut down, Gaza's only cancer hospital to shut down.
Israel's incessant bombardment on Gaza also blacked out the latter's internet and phone connection cutting off communication for humanitarian aid or agencies with the Gaza Strip.
The Israeli ambassador also underlined Israel's expectation from India to designate Hamas as a terrorist organisation.
Israel is providing to India more information relating to Hamas and it is hopeful that New Delhi will designate the group as a terrorist organisation as done by around 40 nations, Israeli Ambassador Naor Gilon said on Thursday.
Referring to Hamas leader Khaled Mashal virtually participating in a pro-Palestine rally in Kerala, the Israeli envoy said India's designation of Hamas will help prevent such activities.
"I hope India will go down that road (designating Hamas). I didn't even get a promise for that. We are doing it as a sincere effort to add as many friendly countries as possible like we see in Lashkar-e-Taiba and other organisations," he said.
Asked by PTI, if Israel was open to putting a "pause" in the fighting to allow humanitarian aid to reach people in Gaza, the ambassador said "We will see what is the right thing to do on the ground."
He said if there is a window of opportunity for release of the hostages, then Israel is likely to go for a "pause".
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Business NewsNewsWorld’Israel is doing its utmost to prevent loss of lives’: Ambassador Naor Gilon as Gaza death toll reaches 9,061
First Published:2 Nov 2023, 07:33 PM IST
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