"India Can Do More": Palestinian Envoy Abu Shawesh's Message To New Delhi On Gaza Crisis

Gaza is living through a catastrophic humanitarian disaster. Even during what the world called a ceasefire, Israel never truly ceased fire. According to the United Nations and even sections of the Israeli media, bombardment and killings continued uninterrupted. Israel has systematically destroyed Gaza’s infrastructure—its hospitals, water systems, sanitation facilities and schools. Out of 37 hospitals, only 19 remain partially functional. Nearly 95% of Gaza’s population has been internally displaced, while hundreds of thousands of homes have been reduced to rubble.

The numbers reveal the true scale of suffering. More than 73,000 Palestinians have been killed, including around 22,000 children. Over 17,000 women have been widowed, more than 20,000 children have become orphans, and thousands of amputees desperately need artificial limbs. Every night, families continue to sleep hungry. This is not simply a humanitarian crisis—it is a collapse of human dignity.

I would say it is not merely a failure—it is a lack of political will. Peace has a clear meaning: ending the Israeli occupation and implementing the Two-State Solution. Israel refuses because it has not faced sufficient international pressure. The world united against apartheid in South Africa through boycotts and political isolation. If there is genuine will, similar pressure can be applied against occupation today.

Governments cannot simultaneously condemn settlements while allowing settlement products into their markets or maintaining institutional cooperation that strengthens occupation. If countries genuinely oppose settlements, they should boycott the economic and political mechanisms that sustain them. Words alone are no longer enough.

It remains the only internationally valid solution. Unless someone presents a realistic alternative, the choice today is between a negotiated Two-State Solution and the reality of what I describe as a one-state apartheid system.

We expect much from India because of its enormous political weight globally. India enjoys strong relations with both Palestine and Israel, and we hope New Delhi will use that influence to help end the occupation. We also expect India to speak more vocally against extremist Israeli settler attacks occurring daily in the occupied territories. India’s declared position in support of the Palestinian people and the Two-State Solution is important, and we acknowledge it. But we continue to believe that India can do more.

We do not oppose India maintaining good relations with Israel. On the contrary, we hope India will utilise that relationship for the benefit of peace and for advancing Palestinian national rights. Strong ties should become leverage for justice.

India’s official position is already clear and publicly declared. Its commitment to the Two-State Solution and Palestinian rights does not require private assurances.

The ongoing diplomatic engagement is largely focused on practical cooperation, including hospitals and vocational training. We hope for a high-ranking political visit from India to Palestine.

Under international law, Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem constitute one Palestinian territorial entity. The political division emerged in 2007, when Hamas took control of Gaza after toppling the Palestinian Authority there. Since then, Palestinians have faced both geographical separation and internal political challenges, and efforts continue to bridge those divisions.

At this stage, very little is clear. Gaza has been almost entirely devastated, and meaningful reconstruction cannot begin without a broader political framework and an end to destruction. Humanitarian aid is necessary—but it is not sufficient. It can address today’s suffering, but it cannot solve tomorrow’s future. Only a political solution can deliver lasting peace and security for Palestinians and Israelis alike.