Condemn Israel's actions in Gaza, civil society members urge govt.
Signed by over two dozen eminent figures including Medha Patkar, Tushar Gandhi, Prashant Bhushan, Anand Patwardhan, and retired judge Justice Kolse Patil, and several advocates, journalists, authors, activists, social workers and political parties, the memorandum demands 'decisive' Indian leadership in global calls for a permanent ceasefire, humanitarian relief, and accountability for alleged Israeli war crimes.
Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday (August 5, 2025), Dr. Sunilam, president of IPSF, stressed the urgency of the moment. 'The memorandum urges the Government of India to unequivocally and categorically condemn the ongoing genocide, forced starvation, and ethnic cleansing of the people of Palestine by Israel.'
Feroze Mithiborwala, general secretary of IPSF, called the silence of the Indian government on this 'historic moral issue' alarming. 'This statement bears the endorsement of some of India's most prominent civil society leaders,' he added.
Addressed to both houses of Parliament, the memorandum outlines four broad demands: make and lead calls for a permanent ceasefire and humanitarian access in Gaza; restore India's moral authority in foreign policy by reaffirming support for Palestinian statehood and ending all agreements, military, security, agricultural, technological, with the Israeli government and related entities; reject Western propaganda, support independent and fact-based journalism, and uphold international justice mechanisms; and, ensure parliamentary oversight, transparency and public dialogue on India's Gaza policy.
Tushar Gandhi, president of Hum Bharat Ke Log, said, 'The Modi government must condemn Israel for the genocide and war crimes being committed in Gaza. India must play a proactive role in ensuring Israel ends the policy of starvation and allows humanitarian essentials, food, water, medicines, to be provided to the Gazan population.'
The memorandum presents statistics to highlight the humanitarian crisis. Since October 2023, over 58,000 deaths have been officially reported in Gaza, the majority of them women and children. Independent assessments, including those by The Lancet and The Economist, place the figure between 77,000 and 1,09,000.
Over 1.9 million have been displaced, with infrastructure—including hospitals, bakeries, and water systems—systematically destroyed. Aid convoys and humanitarian workers have come under fire, and the UN Special Rapporteur has described Gaza's condition as a 'man-made famine' the memorandum said.
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