Ministry of external affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal
NEW DELHI: India on Wednesday expressed shock over the recent killings of journalists in Gaza’s Khan Younis in Israeli strikes, calling it “deeply regrettable.” In an official statement, ministry of external affairs spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, said, “The killing of journalists is shocking and deeply regrettable.”In response to media queries regarding the loss of lives of journalists, Jaiswal said that India has always condemned the loss of civilian lives in conflict, adding that, “We understand that the Israeli authorities have already instituted an investigation.” Earlier on Monday, Israel conducted an airstrike on a hospital in Gaza that claimed the lives of 20 people, including five reporters who worked for Al Jazeera, the Associated Press and Reuters, among other outlets.Later on Tuesday, the Israeli ministry said that they were targeting a camera operated by Hamas amid a wave of international criticism. It said that the strike came after its soldiers “identified a camera that was positioned by Hamas in the area of the Nasser Hospital”, adding that they “operated to remove the threat by striking and dismantling the camera”.”Six of the individuals killed were terrorists,” it added. Following the strike, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the attack a “tragic mishap.”Earlier this month, at least four Al Jazeera staff and two freelancers were killed in an Israeli strike in Gaza. As of now, around 200 media workers have been killed in the ongoing war, according to press watchdogs.
