Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to his Israeli counterpart, Benjamin Netanyahu, to congratulate him on the Gaza peace plan.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu paused the security cabinet meeting discussing the ceasefire and hostage-release deal in Gaza to speak over the phone with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, The Times of Israel reported quoting a statement from his office.ย
PM Modi also talked to his Israeli counterpart to congratulate him on the Gaza peace plan.ย In a post on X, PM Modi said he reaffirmed that terrorism in any form or manifestation is unacceptable anywhere in the world.ย
According to a statement by the Israeli PMO, “Prime Minister Modi congratulated Prime Minister Netanyahu on the agreement reached for the release of all the hostages.”ย
Netanyahu thanked his Indian counterpart for his support of Israel, and the two agreed to continue working in close cooperation,
PM Modi speaks to President Trump
Earlier, PM Modi also spoke to US President Donald Trump and congratulated him on the “success” of the first phase of a US-brokered peace plan for Gaza as he hailed the American leader for his efforts to end hostilities. In a post on X, Modi said he and Trump also reviewed the “good progress” achieved in the trade negotiations.
“Also reviewed the good progress achieved in trade negotiations. Agreed to stay in close touch over the coming weeks,” he said.
Gaza peace plan
The US announced that Israel and Hamas agreed on the first phase of the Gaza peace plan that includes a ceasefire in the Strip and the release of Israeli captives and Palestinian prisoners. Under the Gaza peace plan, the hostilities in the Strip will be ended with the release of all the hostages held by Hamas and the demilitarisation of the Strip.
Israel launched the war in Gaza after Hamas attacked Israeli cities on October 7, 2023, killing about 1,200 people. Hamas also took 251 people as hostages, and over 50 of them are still in its captivity.
Israeli military operations have killed over 66,000 Palestinians since then, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry.
Gaza has been reeling under a massive humanitarian crisis largely due to the scarcity of food and medicines. The World Health Organization said last month that Gaza’s malnutrition rates have reached “alarming levels”.’
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