Context:

• India’s External Affairs Minister attended the virtual BRICS-Plus joint meeting on the Middle East situation in Gaza.

BRICS-Plus Summit: India’s Absence Reflects Unease on Israel-Gaza Debate

• The BRICS-Plus meet titled ‘Extraordinary Joint Meeting on the Middle East situation’ was attended by leaders of the participating countries – Brazil’s Lula da Silva, Russia’s Vladimir Putin, China’s Xi Jinping and South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa.
• India’s Prime Minister declined to attend the summit due to other commitments. 
  • However, the decision to skip an appearance with the other leaders of the Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa grouping also indicates New Delhi’s discomfort with deliberations that were likely to be critical of Israel’s bombardment of Gaza.

Key Highlights of Virtual BRICS-Plus Joint meeting: Diverse Perspectives on Israel-Hamas Conflict

• South Africa: South Africa urged for an ‘immediate ceasefire’ and called Israel’s “collective punishment of Palestinian civilians” a war crime. 
• China: China too called for an “immediate end to hostilities” in the Gaza Strip and urged for an end to “the collective punishment of Palestinians”
• India: India outlined that  ‘Where terrorism is concerned, none of us should or can compromise with it. Hostage-taking is equally unacceptable and cannot be condoned’.
• Russia: Russia called for a ceasefire in Gaza, the freeing of hostages and the evacuation of civilians from the Gaza Strip.
• Brazil: Brazil called the war a “humanitarian catastrophe” but avoided using the word genocide as he has in the past. 

Related Article: Israel Palestine Conflict, Causes, Impacts, Gaza Strip

News Source: The Hindu