New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday discussed the latest developments in the Israel-Hamas conflict with the Indian leader emphasising the need for an early resolution of hostilities.
Netanyahu made a phone call to Modi to brief him on recent developments in the conflict, according to an Indian government readout of the conversation. The safety of maritime traffic also figured in the conversation against the backdrop of attacks on merchant shipping in the Red Sea by Iran-backed Houthi rebels.
Modi “reiterated the need for continued humanitarian aid for the affected population and emphasised an early and peaceful resolution of the conflict”, the readout said.
These efforts should include the release of all hostages and solutions should be found through dialogue and diplomacy, Modi said.
“The two leaders shared concerns regarding the safety of maritime traffic,” the readout said. They also agreed to remain in contact.
In a post on X, Modi said he had a productive exchange of views with Netanyahu on the “Israel-Hamas conflict, including shared concerns on the safety of maritime traffic”.
He added that he had highlighted “India’s consistent stand in favour of early restoration of peace & stability in the region with continued humanitarian assistance for the affected”.
A statement issued by the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office said the two leaders “discussed the importance of securing freedom of navigation in the Bab-el-Mandeb, which is threatened by the aggression of the Houthis, instigated by Iran, and the global interest in preventing attacks on the global economy and trade, as well as the Indian and Israeli economies”.
The statement quoted Modi as saying that “freedom of navigation is an essential global necessity that must be ensured”. Netanyahu thanked Modi for “India’s support of Israel’s just war to eliminate the Hamas”, the statement added.
The targetting of merchant vessels in the Red Sea by Houthi rebels, who have declared their support for Hamas, has become a concern for India as a sizeable portion of the country’s seaborne trade passes through these waters. Most of the merchant vessels have been targeted in Bab el-Mandeb, the strait located between the Horn of Africa and the Gulf of Aden, where the Indian Navy has deployed two warships.
The Israeli statement said the two leaders “also discussed advancing the arrival of foreign workers” from India to Israel.
According to reports, Israel has plans to hire tens of thousands of Indian workers to make up for the loss of Palestinian labour in crucial sectors such as construction.
After initially expressing solidarity with Israel in the aftermath of the October 7 terrorist attacks by Hamas, India has sought to take a more nuanced position on the conflict as civilian casualties have mounted due to Israel’s bombardment of Gaza. India also recently voted in favour of a resolution at the United Nations General Assembly seeking a ceasefire in Gaza.
The terror attacks by Hamas killed some 1,200 people while the Israeli shelling and operations in Gaza have killedHorn of Africa more than 19,000 people. The Hamas took around 250 hostages during the attacks and some 100 of them were released during a week-long truce in November.
Netanyahu also made a phone call to Modi three days after the October 7 terror attacks, when the Indian leader expressed condolences and sympathy for those killed and wounded. Modi also said the people of India “stand in solidarity with Israel in this difficult hour”. He reiterated India’s strong and unequivocal condemnation of all forms of terrorism.
Since then, the Indian leadership has been in close touch with leaders of key states in West Asia, which is home to about nine million Indian expatriates, and New Delhi has emphasised the need for a return to dialogue and diplomacy to find a two-state solution.