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Benjamin Netanyahu ‘pauses’ security cabinet meet to talk to PM Modi over Gaza plan
The call comes just after PM Narendra Modi spoke to US President Donald Trump on the same issue and congratulated him for his peace plan.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday talked to his Israeli counterpart, Benjamin Netanyahu, to congratulate him on the Gaza peace plan.
The call comes just after Modi spoke to US President Donald Trump on the same issue and congratulated him for his peace plan.
“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,” Modi wrote on X.
According to a statement by the Israeli PMO quoted by Times of Israel, Netanyahu paused the security cabinet meeting discussing the ceasefire and hostage-release deal in Gaza to speak over the phone with PM Modi.
“Prime Minister Modi congratulated Prime Minister Netanyahu on the agreement reached for the release of all the hostages,” the statement read.
According to the Israeli statement, PM Modi “noted that Netanyahu has always been a close friend and that their friendship will remain strong.” Netanyahu thanked him “for his support of Israel, and the two agreed to continue working in close cooperation”.
PM Modi praises Benjamin Netanyahu
Earlier in the day, PM Narendra Modi praised the efforts of Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu to end hostilities in Gaza and facilitate the release of hostages.
In his first reaction to the development, Modi tagged the American and Israeli leaders in a social media post and said: “We welcome the agreement on the first phase of President Trump’s peace plan. This is also a reflection of the strong leadership of PM Netanyahu.”
He added, “We hope the release of hostages and enhanced humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza will bring respite to them and pave the way for lasting peace.”
Trump announced on Wednesday that Israel and Hamas had agreed on the first phase of the plan that includes a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of Israeli captives and Palestinian prisoners. This is part of the US-backed 20-point plan to end the war in Gaza, and the development followed negotiations in Cairo involving US, Israeli, Egyptian and Qatari officials.
