New Delhi, Aug. 12 -- Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has launched a scathing attack on Israel over its military offensive in Gaza, accusing the Israeli state of committing "genocide" and criticising the Indian government for its "silence" on the matter.

The Congress MP's comments sparked a sharp rebuttal from Israel's ambassador to India, Reuven Azar, who dismissed her claims and urged people not to trust casualty figures provided by Hamas.

In a strongly worded post on X (formerly Twitter), Priyanka Gandhi alleged that Israel had "murdered over 60,000 people, 18,430 of whom were children", starved hundreds to death, and was threatening to starve millions more.

"Enabling these crimes by silence and inaction is a crime in itself....