A Owaisi Calls Netanyahu "Devil", Asks PM Modi To Stand With Palestinians

Calling Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a "devil", AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi yesterday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to show solidarity with the people of Gaza amid a raging war that has left thousands dead on both side,

"I would like to appeal to the Prime Minister to stop the atrocities being committed against the Palestinians. Palestine is not just a matter for Muslims, it is a humanitarian issue."

"Netanyahu is a devil and a tyrant and a war criminal," the Hyderabad MP said.

 "About 10 lakh people of Gaza have been rendered homeless. The world is silent on this. Look at the one who killed, but what harm did these poor people of Gaza do to you? The media is doing one-sided reporting on the issue. For 70 years Israel has been an occupier. You cannot see the occupation, you cannot see the atrocities," he said.

Taking a veiled swipe at Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Mr Owaisi said, "a Baba Chief Minister said that cases will be booked against those who support Palestinians, so listen Chief Minister, I am proudly wearing the flag of Palestine and our Tricolour. I stand with Palestine," he said,

A week of Israeli salvos was sparked by a mass breach by Hamas which saw operatives break through the heavily fortified border between the Gaza Strip and Israel and gun down, stab and burn to death more than 1,300 people.

In Gaza, officials said more than 2,200 people had been killed in Israel's retaliation. 

Israel has vowed to destroy Hamas, which several Western governments, including the United States, have proscribed as a terrorist organisation, and likened to the Islamic State group.

But it maintains that ordinary Palestinians are not their target.

According to the UN, more than 1,300 buildings in Gaza have been destroyed, while local hospitals and their exhausted staff have become overwhelmed with growing numbers of dead and injured.

Israeli defence forces have urged Palestinians to flee the area before an expected ground offensive against Hamas commanders.

A potential Israeli ground invasion has also increased fears for the safety of the 150 hostages, including foreigners, that Israel said Hamas seized during its deadly rampage.