Indian prime minister Narendra Modi on Saturday (4) hailed president Donald Trump's renewed peace efforts in Gaza after Hamas agreed to release all Israeli hostages and engage in negotiations to end the prolonged conflict. The development came after Trump ordered Israel to halt its bombing campaign in the Gaza Strip, following Hamas' partial acceptance of his peace plan.
Hamas announced that it would release the hostages, including the bodies of the deaceased, and consented to transferring Gaza's administration to an independent body of Palestinian technocrats. The move is being viewed as a significant breakthrough in efforts to end nearly two years of violence in the region.
Reacting to the development, PM Modi posted on X: “We welcome President Trump’s leadership as peace efforts in Gaza make decisive progress. Indications of the release of hostages mark a significant step forward. India will continue to strongly support all efforts towards a durable and just peace.”
This is the second time Modi has praised Trump for his mediation efforts. Earlier, he had expressed appreciation when Trump unveiled a 20-point peace plan that prompted Hamas to consider negotiations and a possible ceasefire. Trump's plan calls for Hamas to release remaining hostages, relinquish power and weapons, and for Israel to halt attacks, withdraw troops, release Palestinian prisoners, and allow humanitarian aid to flow into Gaza.
The ongoing war has killed tens of thousands and displaced nearly the entire population of Gaza. Trump’s latest proposal includes the establishment of an International Stabilisation Force to oversee the region’s transition, led jointly by him and former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed Hamas’s willingness to discuss the plan but reiterated that Israel’s core conditions for ending the war remain unchanged. Hamas, meanwhile, emphasised Palestinian unity and rights while sidestepping calls for disarmament, one of Israel’s key demands.
Mediators like Egypt and Qatar have also welcomed the progress but urged continued dialogue. Some Hamas officials, however, expressed reservations about foreign administration and the speed of the proposed hostage exchange, indicating that more negotiations are needed to finalise the peace roadmap.
