Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 9 welcomed the first phase of US President Donald Trump’s 20-point Gaza peace plan, expressing optimism that the initiative would bring much-needed relief to the people of the war-ravaged Palestinian territory.
PM Modi said the agreement between Israel and Hamas to begin the process of releasing hostages and enhancing humanitarian aid marked an important step toward peace and stability in the region.
In his official post on X, PM Modi commended Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s leadership, calling the agreement “a reflection of strong statesmanship.” He further noted that the release of hostages and the inflow of humanitarian assistance “will bring relief to the people of Gaza and pave the way for a lasting peace.”
The Indian leader’s message came shortly after President Trump announced that Israel and Hamas had agreed to the first phase of his peace proposal — a plan designed to end the two-year-long conflict in Gaza. The initial phase focuses on a hostage-prisoner exchange and the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from certain parts of the enclave.
According to Trump’s statement on Truth Social, “Israel and Hamas have both signed off on the first Phase of our Peace Plan. This means that all of the hostages will be released very soon, and Israel will withdraw their troops to an agreed-upon line as the first steps toward a strong, durable, and everlasting peace.”
The deal, which includes the release of all surviving Israeli hostages in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, is expected to take effect within 72 hours of implementation. The agreement also allows for expanded humanitarian aid deliveries to Gaza, which has been devastated by continuous fighting and shortages of essential supplies.
The breakthrough came after weeks of indirect negotiations in Egypt, facilitated by key mediators including Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey. President Trump dispatched his son-in-law Jared Kushner and special envoy Steve Witkoff to lead the US delegation, while Israel was represented by Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, a close ally of Netanyahu.
Trump hailed the development as a historic and unprecedented step toward ending the conflict, thanking the mediating nations for their efforts in achieving the agreement. “This marks the beginning of peace after two years of terrible suffering,” he said.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed the deal, vowing to bring the hostages back home. Under the plan, Hamas will free the remaining 47 hostages — both living and deceased — who were captured during the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, which triggered the ongoing war.
Hamas, in turn, has submitted a list of Palestinian detainees it seeks to have released in the first phase of the truce. The broader peace plan also envisions Hamas’s disarmament, the ceasefire’s extension, and a gradual Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
With much of Gaza in ruins, an UN-declared famine worsening, and international pressure mounting for an end to the violence, the agreement is being viewed globally as a critical first step toward restoring peace and stability in the region.
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