PM Modi congratulates Israeli counterpart Netanyahu on Gaza peace deal progress

New Delhi, Oct 9 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday spoke to his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu and congratulated the latter on the progress made under US President Donald Trump's Gaza peace plan.

Taking to X, Prime Minister Modi wrote: "Called my friend, Prime Minister Netanyahu, to congratulate him on the progress made under President Trump’s Gaza peace plan. We welcome the agreement on the release of hostages and enhanced humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza. Reaffirmed that terrorism in any form or manifestation is unacceptable anywhere in the world."

His conversation with Netanyahu follows an interaction with the US President earlier on Thursday over the Gaza peace deal.

PM Modi posted on X, “Spoke to my friend, President Trump and congratulated him on the success of the historic Gaza peace plan. Also reviewed the good progress achieved in trade negotiations. Agreed to stay in close touch over the coming weeks.”

The phone call comes on a day Israel and Hamas agreed on the first phase of the peace deal proposed by Trump.

This is the second phone call between the two leaders in a span of one month.

Earlier, in a breakthrough two years after the deadly conflict began, Israel and Hamas agreed on the first phase of the peace deal proposed by US President Donald Trump, starting with the release of hostages held by the Palestinian group and the phased withdrawal of Israeli troops.

The breakthrough in the talks under US aegis came exactly two years and a day after the October 7 brutal attack by Hamas on Israel that began the conflict.

Hamas killed about 1,250 Israelis during the attack launched from Gaza and took about 250 people hostage.

Gaza officials have said that 67,000 people, most of them civilians, were killed in Israel’s counter-offensive that levelled most of the territory and, according to the UN, famine-like conditions loomed when Israel restricted relief supplies.

After months of negotiation that were interrupted by Israel bombing a building in Qatar, where Hamas negotiators were staying, the talks gained momentum when President Trump spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about the attack, and corralled some Arab and Muslim-majority country leaders to pressure Hamas.

President Trump presented a 20-point peace plan for Gaza that was to start with the freeing of hostages by Hamas and the release of Palestinian prisoners by Israel.

That was to lead to Israel withdrawing troops from Gaza and Hamas laying down weapons, and President Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, personally getting involved in the negotiations with Trump’s Special Representative Steve Witkoff.

The Gaza peace deal – if it goes through fully – could lead to the resumption of the Abraham Accords that he brokered in his first term and expand it.

The agreement led to the establishment or resumption of diplomatic relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco.

Netanyahu faced global isolation with an overwhelming majority of countries condemning the assault on Gaza and supporting the creation of a Palestinian state.

At home, the pressure mounted to bring the hostages home.

But he also faces opposition now to the deal from the Right-wing in his ruling coalition, who want a total takeover of Gaza and the removal of Palestinians from there.

As the carnage continued in Gaza, the local population caught between Hamas and Israel started to become restive, while Arab nations began to urge Hamas to agree to a deal.

--IANS

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