New Delhi, May 17 (PTI) The Congress today expressed grief over the death of a large number of Palestinian protesters in Gaza and condemned the excessive use of force by Israeli forces.

Congress leader Anand Sharma said the deaths of a large number of Palestinian protesters in Gaza, including women and children, caused by action of the Israeli Armed Forces, which also left hundreds of Palestinians injured, has invited international outrage and condemnation.

"The Congress party, reaffirms its solidarity with the people of Palestine in their just struggle for the creation of an independent state of Palestine within secure borders.

"It urges all parties concerned to act with restraint and work for a negotiated and acceptable resolution of the dispute," he said in a statement.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)