India, Nov. 16 -- India on Thursday emphasised the need to avoid civilian casualties and to provide humanitarian aid to people caught up in the conflict in the Gaza Strip as Israeli forces continued a raid of the region's main medical complex for the second day.

India initially condemned the October 7 terror attacks by Hamas and backed Israel's right to defend itself, and it has since sought to adopt a more nuanced approach by calling for the observance of international humanitarian law and the avoiding of civilian casualties.

"The issue is not about one facility or a specific facility. India has always underlined the need for civilian casualties to be avoided, for humanitarian law to be observed, and to encourage any efforts to provide...