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Pointing out that the world was witnessing its worst tragedy, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor alleged that Israel's response to the October 7 Hamas terrorist attack was "disproportionate," as a greater number of Palestinian people were killed in the past 19 days compared to those who lost their lives in the region since the year 2008.
Addressing an event organised to express solidarity with the Palestine people by the Indian United Muslim League (IUML) in Kerala's Kozhikode on Thursday, Tharoor urged Israel to end air strikes in Gaza adding that India has always stood for peace since Mahatama Gandhi. "Since 19 days, the world is seeing the worst human-rights tragedies. We are seeing the worst tragedy. Terrorists attacked Israel, Hamas is a terror group. Israel stopped providing food, water and electricity to Gaza. We are condemning the bombing of Israel," Tharoor said at the event held at Kozhikode beach. Tharoor, who had previoulsy served as an UN diplomat said the ongoing air strikes in Gaza by Israel in response to the Hamas attack was "disproportionate." Reiterating Bapu's words, Tharoor said, "An eye for an eye will make the whole world blind. India has always stood for peace since Gandhi." He also highlighted that the ongoing crisis is not a Muslim issue but a human rights issue and said "war knows no religion." "Israel calls their operation, 'Swords of Iron', but now those swords are dipped in the blood of children. The bombing has caused a lot of injuries and innocent people are suffering and they are dying. Many are living under suffocating occupation," Tharoor said. He said that over 6,000 Palestinians and 300 Isrealis were killed in clashes in the area between 2008 and September this year and the number of those who died since October 7, however, was much more. "While 1,400 Israelis died in the Hamas terrorist attack, many more were killed in Gaza when Israel responded to it.....Innocent civilians are dying," Tharoor said. Tharoor urged Israel to end the war and further appealed to the world to unite to "end the human rights violations inflicted on the Palestinian people". "Now, it is more than time to announce a ceasefire," the Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram said. While addressing the rally, IUML national general secretary PK Kunhalikutty said that the biggest weapon in the world is public opinion and that showing solidarity will bring results. "Children are dying. We all are here to shed tears for the brutality in Gaza. We have no weapons to send there or save them. This rally will yield fruit because the biggest weapon in the world is public opinion. Global leaders are joining in solidarity. That's how we also joined this. Solidarity has made results here. Killings should stop in Palestine," he said. IUML Party workers gathered in strength for Thursday's rally, which was presided over by Kunhalikutty with Shashi Tharoor as Chief Guest. IUML state president Panakkad Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal inaugurated the rally. In his speech, Thangal said "Israel's occupation has created Palestine conflict. They are trying to survive. They are trying the defend their land. Stop genocide killings. This conflict has started since 1947. Gandhi criticised Israeli occupation. Nehru, Manmohan Singh, even Vajpayee also took a stand against the Israeli occupation of Palestine... They all stood with justice. The current government is trying to dilute that stand and make Israel look holy." "They are trying to whitewash Israel. We should stand with marginalised. India's policy is to support the vulnerable people. Israel is the biggest terrorist country. Whoever is supporting Israel they are supporting terror. Justice will rise over there that's why we are having this rally. With our prayers let their wounds be healed," the IUML leader said. On attending the IUML's solidarity rally, Tharoor said, "India is one of the handful of countries that maintains ambassadors in both Israel and Palestine and enjoys good relations with both. We should be a voice for peace amid the carnage." After the October 7 attack on Israel from the Gaza Strip by Hamas, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu set up a war cabinet and the Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant said they will launch a ground offensive on Gaza, seeking to "wipe off from the face of earth" the Palestine-terror group. (ANI)
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