The Congress leader cited recent findings of the UN Commission of Inquiry, headed by Justice (Retd.) S. Muralidhar, alleging that Israeli actions in Gaza amount to genocide targeting Palestinian civilians, especially children.
BY PC Bureau
New Delhi, June 27, 2026 — Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi has strongly criticised the Narendra Modi government for what she described as its “silence and inaction” over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, arguing that India has departed from its long-standing foreign policy principles and moral commitment to the Palestinian cause.
Writing in an opinion article published in The Indian Express, Gandhi cited the findings of the United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, saying successive UN reports have concluded that Israel’s military actions in Gaza amount to genocide against Palestinians.
Referring to the Commission’s latest report released in June 2026, now chaired by retired Indian judge Justice S. Muralidhar, Gandhi said the inquiry concluded that Israeli actions were intended to destroy the Palestinian population in Gaza by specifically targeting children.
“The calculus of national interest demands that we respond to the global public opinion against the Israeli regime’s genocidal actions in Gaza and its brutal displacement and dispossession of lakhs of Palestinian families in the occupied West Bank. The Modi government’s continued… pic.twitter.com/oDVIhfSE2x
— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) June 27, 2026
Describing the 94-page report as “harrowing,” Gandhi wrote that it documents the scale of destruction in Gaza, including the deaths of at least 20,000 children and injuries to another 44,000, many of whom have suffered permanent disabilities. She noted that children accounted for 27 per cent of those killed or wounded, while nearly all schools in Gaza have been destroyed and the collapse of healthcare infrastructure has led to a sharp rise in miscarriages and childbirth complications.
While reiterating that the October 2023 Hamas attack on Israel was “dastardly, horrific and absolutely unacceptable,” Gandhi argued that Israel’s military response had gone far beyond self-defence and was marked by “wanton cruelty and barbarity.”
She pointed to public statements by senior Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which, she claimed, reflected genocidal intent through calls for a “complete siege” and “total annihilation” of Gaza, as well as remarks dehumanising Palestinians.
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Gandhi also criticised the United States under President Donald Trump, accusing Washington of enabling Israel’s military campaign through continued political support despite mounting international criticism.
According to Gandhi, although the United Nations Security Council has been unable to take decisive action because of American opposition, various UN agencies have continued documenting alleged Israeli war crimes.
She further noted that several countries traditionally aligned with the West—including France, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia—have recognised Palestinian statehood, while South Africa has approached the International Court of Justice (ICJ) accusing Israel of violating the 1948 Genocide Convention. She also highlighted that several European countries have restricted arms sales to Israel, some Latin American nations have downgraded diplomatic relations, and the International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants against members of Israel’s political leadership.
Against this backdrop, Gandhi questioned India’s diplomatic position, saying New Delhi had remained largely silent despite growing international concern over the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
She also referred to Justice Muralidhar’s appointment as head of the UN Commission, noting that the report had renewed global attention on the Gaza conflict but had received no official response from the Indian government. Gandhi recalled that Justice Muralidhar had earlier been transferred from the Delhi High Court after questioning the Delhi Police’s handling of inflammatory speeches before the 2020 Delhi riots.
Arguing that India had historically championed anti-colonial solidarity, national sovereignty, and international peace, Gandhi said the country’s current stance represented a departure from its traditional foreign policy values.
She also referred to the case of Hind Rajab, the five-year-old Palestinian girl who was killed after allegedly remaining trapped inside a vehicle surrounded by the bodies of her family members while rescue efforts failed. Gandhi described the incident as symbolic of the suffering endured by Palestinian civilians during the conflict.
The Congress leader also criticised the reported delay in clearing a documentary on Hind Rajab for screening in India, alleging that it reflected the government’s reluctance to offend Israel.
Gandhi argued that the Modi government’s approach was difficult to justify not only on moral grounds but also from the perspective of India’s strategic interests. She contended that India was moving closer to Israel at a time when much of the international community was distancing itself from the Israeli government.
She further criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Israel shortly before the escalation of the Israel-Iran conflict, describing it as a strategically questionable decision that, in her view, had weakened India’s traditional relationships with Palestine, Iran, and several countries in West Asia.
According to Gandhi, India’s position has also diminished its ability to play a meaningful diplomatic role in the region, while countries such as Pakistan have sought to project themselves as potential mediators.
Concluding her article, Gandhi urged the Indian government to speak out against what she described as Israel’s genocidal actions in Gaza and the continued displacement of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. She argued that both India’s historical values and its national interests required a more vocal and principled response.
