Abstract: Events unfolding in the Middle East have a profound impact on the social and political environment in Kerala, India’s southernmost state. This chapter examines the response in Kerala to the attacks and counter-attacks by the Hamas militants and the Israeli forces in and around the Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023, which resulted in a humanitarian crisis in the Strip. Traditionally, a pro Palestine sentiment has been prevalent in Kerala due to its geographical proximity to the Arabian Peninsula, its notable Muslim population, its anti-imperialist political discourses under the influence of the dominant Left ideology, and the presence of a larger migrant population in the Gulf Arab states. However, there has been a growing appeal for Israel in Kerala recently, especially among certain Christian denominations. This chapter examines these factors and analyses Kerala’s response to the Gaza crisis, drawing on articles, statements by political and religious leaders, and editorials from five prominent Malayalam-language newspapers. Despite debates around the Gaza crisis in Kerala being less unequivocal, the state’s social and political circles largely stood in solidarity with the Palestinian people.
Recommended Citation: Nazir, Irfan Ahmed. 2026. ‘Kerala’s Response to the Gaza Crisis: Politics, Religion, and Media’. In Modi, 7 October, and the Gaza War, edited by P. R. Kumaraswamy and Md. Muddassir Quamar, 89–124. New Delhi: KW Publishers.
Note: This book chapter is an updated version of a previous article.
Irfan Ahmed Nazir 