India, France concerned at massive killings in Gaza, urge Israel to respect int'l humanitarian law

India and France have expressed concern about the massive loss of civilian lives in the ongoing Israeli war on the Gaza Strip, urging Tel Aviv to respect international humanitarian law and create conditions, including a humanitarian cease-fire, for aid to flow to the enclave.

French President Emmanuel Macron and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed these views in a joint statement issued by the Foreign Ministry in New Delhi on Friday night.

Macron arrived in in Jaipur, in northwestern Rajasthan state, on Thursday for a two-day state visit, where he attended several events alongside Modi. On Friday, he was the chief guest at Republic Day in the capital New Delhi before departing late evening.

Macron arrived in India's capital on Thursday for a two-day state visit, where he attended Republic Day as chief guest and several other events alongside Modi before departing late Friday evening.

"Both leaders also called for an immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.…the two leaders reaffirmed that a political process leading to a two-state solution for the Israeli and Palestinian people is required for lasting peace and stability in the region," the statement said.

They also expressed solidarity with the people of Israel, condemning the Oct. 7 attack.

Both leaders also expressed grave concern about the possibility of further spreading regional conflicts, including in the Red Sea, and "recalled the utmost importance of upholding freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and of respecting the international law of the sea."

"They expressed deep concern over the war in Ukraine and its tragic humanitarian consequences," it said.

Israel launched a deadly offensive on the Gaza Strip since an Oct. 7 Hamas attack. The Israeli response has killed 26,083 Palestinians, mostly women and children and injured 64,487 others. Nearly 1,200 Israelis are believed to have been killed in the Hamas attack.

The Israeli war has left 85% of Gaza's population internally displaced amid acute shortages of food, clean water, and medicine, while more than half of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.

Tensions have escalated in the Red Sea amid Houthi attacks on commercial ships that allegedly have links with Israel.

During Macron's visit, the two countries also agreed on a defense production roadmap and signed a memorandum of understanding between NewSpace India Limited and France's Arianespace to establish a long-term partnership on satellite launch missions, the Indian Foreign Ministry statement said.

Macron and Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, as well as a French delegation, visited the mausoleum of famous Muslim saint Nizamuddin in the capital before wrapping up his visit to India on Friday evening.