AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on Monday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to send humanitarian aid and press for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Owaisi also asked Modi to defend Muslim religious rights at Al Aqsa Mosque from what he called Israel’s “genocide and ethnic cleansing” of Palestinians.
“I wish to draw the attention of the House to the worsening human crisis in Gaza, where over 60,000 pe ple have been killed and famine-like conditions prevail.
As per UN reports, more than 1,300 Palestinians have died while searching for food, and children are disproportionately affected. Given India’s tradition of humanitarian leadership, I urge the government to urgently provide food, medical and relief aid to Gaza through international channels and support safe humanitarian access for civilians trapped in the conflict,” Owaisi wrote in his letter.
The AIMIM leader said that India had a “longstanding and demonstrable commitment” to the Palestinian people, recalling the country’s statement at the UN Security Council on July 24, 2025.
He pointed out that India is a signatory to the 1948 Genocide Convention, which obligates signatories to prevent genocide and not be complicit in it.
“Therefore, it is imperative that the Government of India demonstrates our commitment towards Palestinians and against genocide and war crimes,” he said. “We must also make efforts to prevent famine in Gaza, to prevent further ethnic cleansing and end the genocide in the Palestinian territories,” wrote Owaisi.
He also raised concerns over “severe curtailment” of Muslim religious freedom due to Israeli control over the Dome of the Rock and Masjid al-Aqsa. Calling Masjid al-Aqsa the third holiest site in Islam, he condemned “repeated attacks on Al Haram al Sharif” and restrictions on access to it.
Owaisi demanded that India contribute to aid airdrops, press for a sustained ceasefire to enable humanitarian delivery and raise the issue of protecting Al Haram al Sharif as a matter of religious freedom, condemning both settler attacks on the mosque and restrictions on access.
The Hyderabad MP also said he was supposed to raise the issue of the Gaza Genocide in Parliament on Monday during Zero Hour.
He alleged that Gaza’s civilian population had faced “targeted population expulsions, civilian killings, and blockading of essential aid” by Israel.
Nearly 70 per cent of civilian infrastructure in Gaza has been destroyed since 2024, he said, adding that most of those killed were women and children.
He said deaths from malnutrition had become widespread and criticised aid distribution by an Israeli-American “startup,” calling it “deadly” and “inadequate.” According to him, 1,400 aid-seekers have been killed while seeking food.
He called Israel’s attacks as being “driven by genocidal intent and an effort to cleanse Gaza of Palestinians,” and said the country had not complied with International Court of Justice (ICJ) interim measures to prevent genocide. He pointed out that Israel’s Prime Minister and former Defence Minister were subject to International Criminal Court warrants and called the blockade of international aid a war crime.
Since 2023, nearly 1,000 civilians have been killed in the West Bank, he said.
June 2025 marked the highest monthly Palestinian injury toll in over two decades, with almost 100 people wounded by settlers. In the first half of 2025 alone, there were 757 settler attacks causing harm to Palestinians or damage to property. Since October 7, 2023, 2,907 people had been displaced due to demolitions and a further 2,400 — almost half of them children — due to settler violence, Owaisi said.