‘World is experiencing severe stress’: Jaishankar condemns ‘terrorism and hostage-taking’ in Israel-Hamas war | India News – Times of India

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday condemned terrorism and hostage taking by Hamas during its conflict with Israel and reiterated India’s call for restraint and dialogue. At the 10th MED Mediterranean Dialogue in Rome, Jaishankar spoke about the growing challenges of two major ongoing conflicts – one in the Middle East and the other in Ukraine – and their far-reaching destabilizing consequences.
“We all recognize that the world is experiencing serious stress. There are two major conflicts going on. Supply chains are insecure, connectivity, especially maritime areas, has been disrupted, climate events are more extreme and frequent, and the Covid pandemic has left deep scars,” the EAM said. said.

Addressing the situation in the Middle East, he noted: “India unequivocally condemns terrorism and hostage taking. Large-scale civilian casualties in military operations are unacceptable, and international humanitarian law cannot be ignored.”
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India unequivocally condemns terrorism and hostage-taking: EAM
Jaishankar reiterated India’s support for one two-state solution to the conflict. “India is in favor of a two-state solution. Our concerns about the spread of the conflict have also increased,” he said.
“The situation in the Middle East is clearly very worrying, both because of what has happened and what could happen. India unequivocally condemns terrorism and hostage taking. It also considers large-scale civilian casualties in military operations as unacceptable,” he added.

His comments come in the context of the ongoing conflict between Israel and Lebanon, which escalated following Hezbollah’s attacks following Hamas’ attack on Israel in October 2023. The war has led to significant losses and displacement, with international mediators struggling to reach to reach a lasting ceasefire.
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‘Indian naval vessels deployed in Gulf of Aden since last year’
Jaishankar during his speech also added that India has been in regular contact with Israel and Iran to promote restraint.
“We have been in regular contact with both Israel and Iran at the highest levels to advocate restraint and improve communications. Covering the Gulf of Aden and the North Arabian Sea. Indian Navy ships have been deployed since last year to protect commercial shipping,” Jaishankar said.
Speaking about the conflict in Ukraine, Jaishankar called for an urgent return to dialogue and diplomacy, rejecting the idea of ​​a battlefield solution. “The continuation of this conflict has serious destabilizing consequences, including for the Mediterranean. What is clear is that no solution will come from the battlefield,” he said.
During his three-day diplomatic mission to Italy, the Foreign Minister will attend the outreach session of the G7 Foreign Ministers Meeting in Fiuggi.