The Sri Lankan government expressed concern about the escalating violence in Gaza, resulting in the “tragic loss of civilian life”, in a statement released on Tuesday.

Sri Lanka called on both sides to “exercise restraint” and said that “cross-border provocations” needed to cease.

“Sri Lanka calls upon the parties concerned to exercise utmost restraint in a bid to halt the violence and ensure a climate conducive to the recommencement of negotiations for a lasting solution to the conflict. Sri Lanka calls upon the parties to engage at the earliest in direct dialogue which is the only viable initiative for sustained peace and security in the region,” the statement said.

The Indian government has announced that it will assist the setting up of two new buildings for University of Jaffna faculties in Kilinochchi.

India will set up the physical infrastructure for the Faculty of Agriculture and the Faculty of Engineering, at a cost of Rs600mn (£2.7mn) according to a statement on the Indian High Commission’s website.

“In addition to the physical infrastructure, the Government of India will also provide, through a reputed Indian institution, support for curriculum development, faculty exchanges, training and research,” the statement said.

“India has been privileged to partner with Sri Lanka in its development efforts, and this project is yet another example of India’s continued commitment.”

The Bodu Bala Sena on Tuesday urged the Sri Lankan government to expel Rauff Hakeem, the leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress and the country’s justice minister, over his recent comments about “Buddhist extremism”.

“We are ashamed of the President and government because Hakeem had condemned the Buddhists and the monks who brought the President into power,” BBS Secretary General Galagoda Gnanasara said, according to the Daily Mirror.

“If I am the leader I would have fired him,” he said.

The BBS said that recent statements made by Hakeem were dangerous and were an insult to Buddhists in the country.

The North-East of the island is under Sri Lankan military invasion, said the Tamil National Alliance spokesperson at a meeting Tuesday in Jaffna, reports Uthayan.

Speaking at the National Fishermen Cooperation Movement, MP Suresh Premachandran, citing several facts,  condemned the Sri Lankan government’s actions during the armed conflict and afterwards.

Mr Premachandran deplored the heightened military presence alleging that 75% of the Sri Lankan military was based in the North-East.

The leader of the PMK, an ally of India's ruling BJP in Tamil Nadu, said India should allow the UN investigative team to use Chennai as a base when conducting its inquiry into mass atrocities in Sri Lanka, the Times of India reports.

Meeting with her Sri Lankan counterpart last week, the Indian External Affairs Minister reportedly reiterated India's criticism of the UN inquiry.

Over a thousand women have left the main opposition party in Sri Lanka, the UNP, to join the main party of the ruling coalition, the Sri Lanka Freedom Party.

According to a report by Sri Lanka’s national broadcaster, the women obtained membership of the party headed by President Mahinda Rajapaksa at a local party meeting in Kela Wewa held on Sunday morning.