A sharp exchange has erupted between Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Israel’s ambassador to India, Reuven Azar, after she accused the Jewish state of committing genocide in Gaza. The envoy rejected her remarks, calling them “shameful” and urging people not to “buy Hamas numbers.”
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, the MP from Wayanad in Kerala, on Tuesday alleged that Israel had killed more than 60,000 people, including thousands of children, and starved “hundreds to death.” She accused the Narendra Modi-led central government of remaining silent on what she described as “genocide” by Israel.
“The Israeli state is committing genocide. It has murdered over 60,000 people, 18,430 of whom were children. It has starved hundreds to death, including many children, and is threatening to starve millions. Enabling these crimes by silence and inaction is a crime in itself. It is shameful that the Indian government stands silent as Israel unleashes this devastation on the people of Palestine,” she wrote on X.
Responding to the post, Ambassador Azar said, “What is shameful is your deceit,” asserting that Israel had killed 25,000 Hamas terrorists and underscoring its humanitarian efforts in Gaza. He accused Hamas of obstructing aid deliveries and using civilians as human shields.
“The terrible cost in human lives derives from Hamas’s heinous tactics of hiding behind civilians, shooting people trying to evacuate or receive assistance, and launching rocket fire. Israel facilitated two million tonnes of food into Gaza while Hamas tries to sequestrate them, thereby creating hunger,” Azar said.
He further argued, “Gaza’s population has grown 450 per cent in the last 50 years — no genocide there. Don’t buy Hamas numbers.”
In an earlier post, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra condemned the killing of five Al Jazeera journalists in Gaza, accusing Israel of “breaking” the truth through “violence and hatred.”
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“The cold-blooded murder of five Al Jazeera journalists is yet another heinous crime committed on Palestinian soil. The immeasurable courage of those who dare to stand for the truth will never be broken by the violence and hatred of the Israeli state. In a world where much of the media is enslaved to power and commerce, these brave souls reminded us of what true journalism is,” she wrote.
The war in Gaza began on October 7th, 2023, when Hamas militants attacked Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking roughly 250 hostages. Israel’s military campaign in Gaza has since killed over 60,000 people, displaced most of the territory’s residents, and triggered a severe hunger crisis.
On Monday, the United Nations reported delays and obstructions in coordinating humanitarian missions in Gaza, blaming Israeli security clearance procedures for wasting “precious time” in delivering aid. UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said requests had been made to coordinate with Israeli security for 16 missions, including the collection of food, medical supplies, and fuel from the operational crossings at Kareem Shalom and Zikim.
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