New Delhi: His Excellency Abdullah Abu Shawesh, Ambassador of the State of Palestine to India, called the war in Gaza a “live-streamed genocide” during an address at an event organised by the Indian Muslims for Civil Rights (IMCR) in Nizamuddin. The discussion gathered prominent figures including Justice Iqbal Ansari, former Chief Justice of Patna High Court, senior advocate Fuzail Ahmed Ayubi, and peace activists from across India.
Abu Shawesh said Palestinians reject the incomplete Western refrain, “Nothing justifies October 7,” insisting that it must be followed by “October 7 does not justify genocide.” He accused Israel of waging an unrelenting war on Palestinians, killing over 67,000 people, including 40,000 children, and injuring 170,000. He described hospitals reduced to rubble, amputations without anaesthesia, and widespread hunger and disease.
The ambassador said his own family remains trapped in Gaza, calling it “meaningless to ask if anyone has lost relatives, because everyone has.” He condemned Western complicity, especially that of the United States, which he said had given $30.7 billion in support to Israel. “Every bomb that kills a Palestinian child carries a Western signature,” he said.
Abu Shawesh described the situation in the West Bank and East Jerusalem as equally dire, citing daily raids, over 500 checkpoints, and repeated desecration of the Al-Aqsa Mosque. He called Israeli settlers “militarised terrorists” who have destroyed more than 500 homes and displaced thousands.
He reminded the audience that the roots of Palestinian suffering go back to the 1917 Balfour Declaration. He urged global media to “ask why and who benefits,” criticising its failure to challenge official Israeli narratives. He also questioned Israel’s version of October 7, calling for an independent investigation into what he described as a possible “false flag operation.”
Drawing parallels with colonial India, Abu Shawesh compared Gaza’s siege to the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, saying global double standards protect Israel from accountability. He reaffirmed that the Palestine Liberation Organization remains the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people, rejecting attempts to frame the war as a fight with Hamas.
He praised India’s historical support for Palestine and urged journalists, NGOs, and civil society to help rebuild Gaza. Closing his speech, he declared, “They can destroy our homes, but not our will to live. We will rise again, because justice must prevail.”
