Indian Overseas Congress secy meets Palestinian envoy amid Israel-Hamas conflict

New Delhi [India], October 28 (ANI): Indian Overseas Congress (IOC) secretary Virendra Vashishth called on Palestine Ambassador to India, Adnan Abu Al-Haija in the national capital on Friday.

As per IOC, the Palestinian envoy informed the visiting AICC leader about the hardship, struggles and complete collapse of healthcare in the war-torn nation.

Ambassador Adnan also thanked the people of India for their valuable contribution towards providing humanitarian aid.

Last week, India sent humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people via Egypt. The Indian envoy to Egypt, Ajit Gupte handed over the relief material to the Egyptian Red Crescent for onward transmission to Palestine.

Meanwhile, Congress senior leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra this morning said that she is ‘shocked’ and ‘ashamed’ after India abstained from voting for a ceasefire in Gaza at the UNGA.

“An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind” ~ Mahatma Gandhi I am shocked and ashamed that our country has abstained from voting for a ceasefire in Gaza, Priyanka Gandhi said in a post on her X handle.

“Our country was founded on the principles of non-violence and truth, principles for which our freedom fighters laid down their lives, these principles form the basis of the constitution that defines our nationhood. They represent the moral courage of India that guided its actions as a member of the international community. To refuse to take a stand and watch in silence as every law of humanity is pulverised, food, water, medical supplies, communication and power is cut off to millions of people and thousands of men, women and children in Palestine are being annihilated goes against everything our country has stood for throughout its life as a nation,” the Congress general secretary wrote on X.

At the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) India abstained from voting on the Jordanian resolution which called for an “immediate, durable and sustained humanitarian truce” between Israeli forces and Hamas terrorists in Gaza. However, it is pertinent to note that India was in favour of the Canadian resolution which added a line that condemned the terrorist attacks by Hamas.

Earlier, the Congress Working Committee (CWC) had passed a resolution supporting the rights of the Palestinian people and called for a ceasefire in the region.

“The CWC expresses its dismay and anguish on the war that has broken out in the Middle East where over a thousand people have been killed in the last two days. The CWC reiterates its long-standing support for the rights of the Palestinian people to land, self-government and to live with dignity and respect,” the resolution stated.

It further said that the CWC calls for an “immediate cease-fire and for negotiations” to begin on all outstanding issues including the imperative issues that have given rise to the present conflict.

Hamas launched a massive terror attack on Israel on October 7, which killed over 1400 people and left several more injured. After this, Israel launched a strong counter-offensive against Hamas units in Gaza strip.

According to the health ministry of Hamas, the death toll in Gaza has crossed 7,000, Times of Israel reported.

UN experts have even declared Israel’s actions in Gaza to be tantamount to “crimes against humanity”.

Meanwhile, amid humanitarian concerns in Gaza, the Rafah border crossing was opened on October 21 to allow aid trucks to enter the crisis-hit region.

Although the move has been hailed, several rights groups have asserted that much more aid is needed.