India at UNSC expresses concern at escalating Israel-Palestine conflict

TS Tirumurti, Ambassador of India to the UN on Tuesday expressed concern at the escalating violence between Israel and Palestine and urged both the sides to avoid changing the status quo on the ground.

Speaking at a UN Security Council meeting on the escalation in East Jerusalem and related events, Tirumurti said that he is deeply concerned about the clashes and violence in Haram Al Sharif/Temple Mount and evictions in Sheikh Jarrah and Silwan neighbourhoods.

"In UNSC meet on escalation in East #Jerusalem and related events, I said: Deeply concerned at clashes and violence in Haram Al Sharif/Temple Mount. Equally concerned about evictions in Sheikh Jarrah and Silwan neighbourhoods. Both sides to avoid changing status-quo on ground," he tweeted.

He condemned the rocket strikes from Gaza and called for restraint and immediate resumption of direct peace talks.

"In addition to, I also added: Old city also houses Al Zawiyya Al Hindiyya - The Indian Hospice. Condemn rocket fire from Gaza. Urge restraint of all parties and to adhere to #UNSC Resolution 2334. Need to immediately resume direct peace talks. Committed to a two-state solution," he said in another tweet.

This comes as tensions between Israel and Palestine escalated as several hundred rockets were fired from Gaza, prompting Israeli forces to step up retaliatory airstrikes.

In the ensuing attacks, two women, including an Indian caregiver, were killed in Israel.

Israeli bombing raids across Gaza have killed at least 28 people, including 10 children, and injured at least 152 more, CNN reported citing Palestinian health officials. The Israeli military said it had killed more than 15 militants.

On Tuesday, Hamas said that it fired 137 rockets in around five minutes in an apparent attempt to overwhelm the Iron Dome missile defense system. Less than an hour later, the two women were killed in an apparently separate attack.

Over 630 rockets were fired at Israel from Monday evening through Tuesday afternoon, 200 of which were intercepted by Iron Dome missile defence batteries while 150 others fell short of their targets and landed inside the Strip, according to the army.

The international community has condemned the ongoing attacks and have called on both countries to exercise restraint.

The country has been embroiled in conflict over the impending eviction of dozens of Palestinians from East Jerusalem's neighbourhood.

Over 70 Palestinians in total are set to be evicted from Sheikh Jarrah in the coming weeks to be replaced by right-wing Jewish Israelis. The Palestinians live in houses built on land that courts have ruled were owned by Jewish religious associations before the establishment of Israel in 1948, reported The Times of Israel.Over 300 Palestinians have been injured in the riots, several of them seriously hurt by rubber-tipped bullets in the head, eye and jaw.

( With inputs from ANI )