--- title: "Palestine backs India’s UNSC bid, seeks New Delhi role in Gaza peace push" url: https://projectchintan.com/article/palestine-backs-indias-unsc-bid-gaza-peace-1zxkc publisher: Project Chintan author: Project Chintan Newsroom section: Politics published: 2026-08-19T12:03:03.498Z modified: 2026-08-19T14:00:08.372Z language: en-IN --- # Palestine backs India’s UNSC bid, seeks New Delhi role in Gaza peace push Palestinian ambassador says Palestine supports India's bid for a UN Security Council seat and wants New Delhi to help advance Gaza peace. India continues development partnerships in the West Bank and Gaza, including a hospital project, while New Delhi's top diplomat visits Ramallah amid humanitarian ## Key takeaways - Palestine publicly supports India's bid for a UN Security Council non‑permanent seat for 2028–2029. - Palestine asks India to use its influence, including ties with Israel, to push for Gaza peace. - India is funding a West Bank hospital and discussing other humanitarian and medical projects in Gaza. ## What Happened Palestinian Ambassador Abdullah Mohammad Abu Shawesh publicly endorsed India’s campaign for a non‑permanent seat on the UN Security Council for 2028–2029 and urged New Delhi to use its influence, including its ties with Israel, to push forward the Gaza peace process. The ambassador also highlighted ongoing India‑Palestine cooperation, noting modalities for a hospital in the West Bank funded with Indian support and discussions on a vocational training centre and artificial limbs for Gaza amputees. During the events, Indian diplomat Sripriya Ranganathan arrived in Ramallah and held meetings with Palestinian Foreign Minister Varsen Aghabekian Shahin; a media briefing at the Palestinian Embassy in New Delhi summarized India’s stance and bilateral ties. The Indian MEA stated that Ranganathan’s visit reinforced India’s support for a negotiated two‑state solution and addressed humanitarian needs in Gaza, including the delivery of humanitarian assistance and developments in Gaza and broader India‑Palestine relations. This visit marked the first high‑level Indian engagement with the affected Gaza region since the 2023 start of the conflict. Shawesh noted multiple humanitarian and development initiatives, including hospital infrastructure, a vocational centre, and equipment such as dialysis machines, some of which would move through Jordan. He also described the U.S. Board of Peace announced in early 2026 as not providing lasting peace in Gaza. With the Israeli parliamentary elections approaching, the ambassador asserted that Palestinians are bearing the consequences of those domestic political dynamics. ## Why It Matters The Palestinian stance strengthens India’s bid for a permanent voice in UN Security Council reform discussions by aligning with a major regional player seeking greater influence on a longstanding regional conflict. It also signals a potential expansion of development and humanitarian collaboration, including health and rehabilitation services for Gaza residents, tied to India’s broader diplomatic strategy in the Middle East. The emphasis on using India’s ties with Israel to advance peace outlines a diplomatic lever that could affect regional engagement and humanitarian diplomacy. ## Background The article notes that this is the first high‑level Indian visit to the affected Gaza region since the 2023 onset of conflict. Prior to these developments, India has maintained a long‑standing development partnership with the Palestinian people and has reaffirmed support for a negotiated two‑state solution, according to the MEA. The Palestinian ambassador also referenced ongoing discussions about medical equipment and reconstruction projects in Palestinian territories with Indian involvement. ## Key Facts - Palestinian Ambassador Abdullah Mohammad Abu Shawesh publicly backs India’s bid for a non‑permanent UNSC seat for 2028–2029. - Shawesh urged India to leverage its influence, including ties with Israel, to advance Gaza peace negotiations. - India and Palestine are finalizing modalities for a hospital in the West Bank funded with Indian support. - India is supporting a vocational training centre in Gaza and discussing artificial limbs for amputees; medical equipment like dialysis machines are part of the negotiations, with some equipment expected to transit through Jordan. - Sripriya Ranganathan, India’s top diplomat, visited Ramallah and met Palestinian Foreign Minister Varsen Aghabekian Shahin; MEA stated the visit reinforced support for Palestinians and a two‑state solution. - Ranganathan’s visit is described as the first high‑level Indian engagement with Gaza since October 2023, amid a grave humanitarian situation in Gaza and calls for safe, sustained humanitarian delivery. - The Palestinian ambassador criticized the Israeli leadership and described the Board of Peace announced by the US in early 2026 as not a pathway to lasting peace. - There are two months remaining before the Israeli parliamentary elections at the time of the remarks. ## What Happens Next The reporting notes ongoing discussions on humanitarian aid delivery, medical equipment, and reconstruction initiatives, alongside India’s continuing dialogue on a two‑state solution and its UNSC bid strategy. No specific next steps are dated beyond these discussions and the continuing high‑level engagement. --- Canonical: https://projectchintan.com/article/palestine-backs-indias-unsc-bid-gaza-peace-1zxkc Reported from: Multiple Sources