New Delhi, Nov 18: "New challenges are emerging from the incidents in West Asia and it is time for the countries of the Global South to talk in one voice for greater global good", Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday while condemning civilian deaths in the Hamas-Israel conflict.

 

 

Addressing the virtual Voice of Global South Summit, he said "India has condemned the horrific terrorist attacks in Israel on October 7. Along with restraint, we have also emphasised dialogue and diplomacy. We strongly condemn the deaths of civilians in the conflict between Israel and Hamas."

 

In his first public remarks on the war, PM Modi sought to frame the Israel-Hamas conflict as a “new challenge” to the Global South’s prosperity. He also referred to his phone conversation with Mahmoud Abbas, President of the Palestinian Authority, last month. "After speaking to President Mahmoud Abbas, we have sent humanitarian assistance for the people of Palestine. This is the time when the countries of the Global South need to speak in one voice for the greater global good,” he said.

 

 

 

PM Modi also called for cooperation under the framework of the 'five Cs' which he explained as consultation, cooperation, communication, creativity and capacity building. "For 'one earth, one family, one future', let us all move forward together with five Cs," he said. "One earth, one family, one future" has been India's theme for its G20 presidency.

 

Modi’s call for diplomacy and dialogue, while similar to the formulation from the Russia-Ukraine war, talks about respecting international humanitarian law. He has also spoken to leaders of Iran, Jordan, Egypt, UAE about the same maintaining its diplomacy.

 

This comes even as Israel continued its massive counter-military operation in Gaza following the Hamas raid on October 7, killing over 1,400 people and kidnapping more than 220 others.