Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi questioned the Narendra Modi government's "continued silence" on the issue of Gaza on Saturday, saying that India should adopt a clear and vocal stance in support of the Palestinians and respond to the developments in Gaza and the West Bank in line with global public opinion.
In an article written for an English daily, Sonia Gandhi referred to the recent report of the United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry, claiming that children in Gaza are being systematically targeted and that the humanitarian situation there has become extremely dire.
She said that the deaths of thousands of children and the widespread destruction are matters of grave concern for the international community.
She stated, "The United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry concluded that the Israeli regime is committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. In June 2026, the same commission poignantly reiterated that Israel's actions are aimed at eliminating the very existence of Palestinians in Gaza, and that children are being targeted as part of this objective."
The commission is now chaired by the distinguished Indian jurist Justice S. Muralidhar (Retd.).
According to Sonia Gandhi, reading the commission's 94-page report is deeply distressing.
She said, "It provides a horrifying account of the devastation caused by Israel in Gaza and the genocidal intent behind it. At least 20,000 children have been killed, and another 44,000 have been injured, many of whom have been permanently disabled. Targeting children is not an accidental occurrence but a deliberate strategy."
Sonia Gandhi wrote, "Children account for 27 percent of those killed or injured, and evidence has been found of many being shot in the head and neck. Ninety-seven percent of Gaza's schools have been destroyed. Healthcare infrastructure, including paediatric hospitals, has also been devastated, resulting in a 300 percent increase in miscarriages and childbirth-related complications."
The Congress leader said that many Western countries have recognized the State of Palestine, several have reviewed their relations with Israel, and serious questions are being raised internationally about Israel's actions. However, she said, India has remained silent on the issue.
She alleged that the Narendra Modi government has not responded to the report issued by the commission headed by Justice (Retd.) S. Muralidhar.
Sonia Gandhi said that India's historic foreign policy has been based on the principles of anti-colonial solidarity, national sovereignty, and international peace, but that the country now appears to be moving away from these values.
Referring to a young girl from Gaza named Hind Rajab, she said that the incident symbolizes the humanitarian tragedy there and its devastating impact on children.
According to her, the people of India have the right to know about the condition of Palestinian children.
Sonia Gandhi said that the Modi government's silence and inaction are not only morally condemnable but also incomprehensible from the perspective of India's national interest.
She alleged that India is moving closer to Israel's strategic sphere of influence at a time when much of the world is distancing itself from Israel.
She said that India has distanced itself from its historic friends in Palestine, Iran, and the broader West Asia region, thereby isolating itself from global public opinion.
Sonia Gandhi emphasized that India should speak out in support of the Palestinian people and adopt a clear position on the situation in Gaza and the West Bank.
She said that the Modi government's continued silence cannot be justified on either moral or logical grounds.
Sonia Gandhi also launched a sharp attack on the Modi government's foreign policy. She claimed that if India had maintained its traditional and balanced foreign policy, its role in West Asia would have been far more influential.
According to her, India could have been playing the role of a mediator across the region today, but due to the government's flawed policies, that opportunity was lost and Pakistan's role has increased.
In her article, Sonia Gandhi wrote that India had maintained balanced and trustworthy relations with Palestine, Iran, and the countries of West Asia for decades, but that this situation has changed because of the current government's policies.
She argued that if India had remained committed to its traditional foreign policy, it could naturally have acted as a mediator in any major regional crisis or in conflicts such as those between Iran and the United States. She claimed that in such a scenario, Pakistan would not have had the opportunity to step forward.
In her article, Sonia Gandhi wrote that India has distanced itself from its historic partners—Palestine, Iran, and the broader West Asia region.
According to her, this has not only weakened India's moral standing but also harmed its strategic interests. She alleged that Pakistan took advantage of this vacuum and attempted to present itself as a mediator.a
