Israel's actions following Hamas' condemnable attack are genocidal: Congress

New Delhi, Nov 17 (PTI) The Congress on Friday hit out at Israel for its 'genocidal' actions after Hamas' condemnable attack and said the world cannot watch in silence the killing of thousands of innocents and ethnic cleansing, while calling for immediate ceasefire and de-escalation.

The opposition party also hit out at many influential countries for their 'double standards', saying it is shocking that they choose to speak the language of human rights and justice when convenient and are lending their unstinting support to Israel's actions.

'The double standards being applied in Ukraine and Gaza is apparent,' All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary Jairam Ramesh said in a statement.

The Indian National Congress urges the Government of India to do all it can to pressure the governments of the US, Israel, and the EU so that they may use their power to stop the violence being committed by Israel in Gaza, he said.

Ramesh said, 'Israel's actions following Hamas' condemnable attack on their citizens are genocidal. The targeting of civilians, women and children, hospitals and shelters violate the values of humanity and every international norm of war.' 'The need of the hour is to de-escalate and to declare a ceasefire immediately. The world cannot watch in silence as a second Nakba unfolds and the ethnic cleansing and dispossession of the Palestinians, as was done in 1948, is carried out once again with impunity,' the Congress leader said.

'How many more lives will have to be taken before our collective conscience is stirred and awakened,' Ramesh asked.

He said after blockading fuel, power, medicines, anaesthetics and humanitarian aid for weeks on end, hospitals are now being targeted militarily.

'Even premature infants have been deprived of medical care, this is a horrific and unprecedented development even in times of war. Over 10,000 people have been killed of which more than half are children. The WHO has recorded that one child is being killed every 10 minutes in Gaza.

'All this while statements of genocidal intent from the top Israeli leadership are being made. PM Netanyahu has himself called for turning parts of Gaza 'to rubble' and has called the wanton killing of men, women, and children 'collateral damage'. The kind of dehumanising language used by some Israeli ministers on Palestinians is like the language that preceded the Holocaust,' he alleged. PTI SKC CK