Overview
- Israel’s government approved the first phase of a U.S.-brokered ceasefire and hostage-release plan, described by officials as covering the release of all hostages and an initial withdrawal from parts of Gaza.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi publicly welcomed the development and praised Benjamin Netanyahu’s leadership, saying on X that the agreement reflects the Israeli leader’s strength.
- Netanyahu’s office said he spoke by phone with Modi, with multiple reports indicating he paused a security cabinet meeting on the ceasefire and hostage deal to take the call.
- Congress leader Jairam Ramesh condemned Modi’s ‘unqualified praise’ for Netanyahu as ‘shocking’ and ‘morally atrocious’ and faulted Modi for not addressing Palestinian statehood or West Bank settlement growth.
- Ramesh also mocked President Donald Trump’s repeated claims about halting ‘Operation Sindoor,’ while continuing to criticise the Indian government’s stance on Gaza; no formal shift in India’s policy was announced in these reports.