New York [US], September 27 (ANI): India, Brazil and South Africa on Friday expressed grave concern over the situation in Gaza and condemned the continuing Israeli attacks on the civilian population. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated after the three countries held the 13th IBSA Trilateral Ministerial Commission meeting on the sidelines of the 80th UN General Assembly.

The three countries, meeting under the IBSA framework on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on September 26, said the humanitarian situation in Gaza has reached a breaking point. They demanded unhindered humanitarian aid, reconstruction of civilian infrastructure, and a complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from the territory.

The MEA statement described the Israeli actions in Gaza as a cause of 'unprecedented suffering,' pointing to deaths, destruction, famine, and forced displacement. It also condemned the use of starvation as a weapon of war and called for strict adherence to international humanitarian and human rights law.

'They called for adherence to international law, in particular to international humanitarian law and international human rights law, and deplored all violations of IHL, including the use of starvation as a method of warfare. They reiterated their calls for a permanent ceasefire, leading to the cessation of Israeli attacks, the full withdrawal of Israeli troops from the territory, the release of remaining hostages, and unhindered access and delivery of humanitarian aid, at scale, 'the MEA statement noted.

India and its partners reaffirmed their backing for the two-state solution. They said peace is possible only with the creation of an independent and viable Palestinian state, living side by side with Israel within the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

According to the MEA press statement, 'The Ministers reaffirmed that a just and lasting solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict can only be achieved by peaceful means and depends on the fulfilment of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, including the right to self-determination. They reiterated their unwavering commitment to the two-state solution, based on international law, including relevant UN Security Council and General Assembly resolutions, and the Arab Peace Initiative, with an independent and viable State of Palestine living side by side with Israel, in peace and security, within the 1967 borders, which includes the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, with East Jerusalem as its capital'

They urged countries yet to recognise Palestine to do so and pressed for its admission as a full member of the United Nations. The statement also underlined the need to unify the West Bank and the Gaza Strip under the Palestinian Authority.

'They called on states that have not yet recognised the state of Palestine to do so, and expressed their support for the admission of Palestine as a member of the UN.'

The ministers stressed the urgent need to start rebuilding civilian infrastructure in Gaza. They welcomed the Arab League's Early Recovery and Reconstruction Plan adopted earlier this year and reasserted their support for UNRWA, the UN agency that provides essential services to Palestinian refugees.

'They stressed the urgent need for the beginning of the reconstruction of the civilian infrastructure of the Strip and, in this regard, noted the Early Recovery and Reconstruction Plan adopted by the League of Arab States in March 4, 2025. They recalled that the Gaza Strip is an inseparable part of the Occupied Palestinian Territory. They underlined, in this regard, the importance of unifying the West Bank and the Gaza Strip under the Palestinian Authority, and reaffirmed the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, including the right to their independent State of Palestine. They reasserted their steadfast support for UNRWA and stressed the need to fully respect the mandate, bestowed on it by the UNGA, for the provision of basic services to Palestinian refugees in its five fields of operations, ' MEA noted.

The meeting was chaired by Brazil and attended by India's External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar, and South Africa's Minister, Sindisiwe Chikunga. The three sides also discussed global humanitarian crises, the Ukraine conflict, and disarmament.

Earlier, Jaishankar also noted the other areas where IBSA focused its talks, including reform of the UNSC, maritime security between the three nations.

https://x.com/DrSJaishankar/status/1971691837246128534

'A great meeting of the IBSA Ministers in New York this evening. IBSA made a strong call for the transformative reform of the UNSC--discussions also on IBSA Academic Forum, maritime exercise, Trust Fund and intra-IBSA trade. IBSA will continue to meet frequently,' Jaishankar wrote in an X post. (ANI)