Rajmohan Gandhi, Martin Luther King III call for ending Gaza crisis, return of hostages

Historian Rajmohan Gandhi, Editor-in-Chief of rights forum ‘We are one humanity’ and human rights activist, Martin Luther King III, on Thursday (August 7, 2025), called for an end to the human suffering in Gaza and the immediate delivery of aid to the region, as well as a return of the hostages captured by Hamas in October 2023.

Mr. Gandhi, who is the grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, and Mr King, who is the son of American civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.., called for leaders and regional actos to show “courageous diplomacy, rooted in justice and compassion”. Their statement is below.

“We speak today, not only as descendants of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi, but as members of a human family wounded by the unfolding humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. Our hearts are burdened by the cries of innocent civilians—especially children—caught in a tragic storm of violence, displacement, and deprivation. At the same time, we recognize the deep pain of Israeli families whose loved ones remain in captivity. Their agony, too, is ours.

“Let us, in our pain, not forget the words of Mahatma Gandhi: ‘I object to violence because when it appears to do good, the good is only temporary; the evil it does is permanent.’ The continued violence does not bring justice—it multiplies suffering. We echo this truth and call, with urgency and love, for an immediate end to the bloodshed. All hostages must be safely released. Humanitarian aid—food, water, and medicine—must reach the people of Gaza without obstruction or delay.

“We say to the world: The children of Gaza are our children. The Israeli hostages held in fear and silence are our family. No child should know starvation; no parent should wait in anguish for a child who may never return. This nightmare must end.

“As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. reminded us, ‘Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.’ Peace in the Middle East cannot be built on the rubble of broken bodies and shattered trust. It must rise from the dignity of every human being, Israeli and Palestinian alike, living in equal dignity as neighbors.

“We appeal to world leaders and regional actors: act now—not with vengeance, but with vision. The time has come for courageous diplomacy, rooted in justice and compassion. The international community must not look away. The road to reconciliation will be long, but it begins with the first steps of mercy and moral clarity.

“Let us rise above division, hatred, and despair—and affirm, with firm hearts and open hands, that a just peace is not only necessary, but possible.