On the sidelines of the COP 28 Summit in Dubai, Prime Minister Narendra Modi engaged in critical discussions with two key leaders,Isaac Herzog, President of the State of Israel, and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, addressing the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict in the Middle East.
In a bilateral meeting with President Herzog, Prime Minister Modi expressed his condolences for the lives lost during the October 7 terror attacks and welcomed the release of hostages, underlining the need for the continued and safe delivery of humanitarian aid to the affected population amid the Israel-Hamas conflict. He reiterated India’s support for a two-state solution and the urgent pursuit of a lasting resolution to the Israel-Palestine issue through diplomacy and dialogue.
PM @narendramodi met President @Isaac_Herzog of Israel on the sidelines of the @COP28_UAE Summit in Dubai. Several aspects of bilateral as well as global issues were discussed during their meeting. pic.twitter.com/yqbLayuo1Y
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) December 1, 2023
President Herzog extended his congratulations to Prime Minister Modi for the successful G20 Presidency of India and welcomed the launch of the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor, emphasizing the strengthening of bilateral ties.
Prime Minister Modi also addressed the Israel-Hamas conflict during his meeting with President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. These discussions come against the backdrop of recent developments in the protracted conflict.
PM @narendramodi met with His Highness @MohamedBinZayed, President of the UAE. They took stock of the bilateral relations and discussed various regional and global issues. pic.twitter.com/THnMPoQZDz
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) December 1, 2023
The Israel-Hamas conflict erupted with a surprise attack by the Palestinian militant group, Hamas, on parts of Israel on October 7. The attack resulted in the tragic loss of approximately 1200 lives, with 240 individuals taken hostage by Hamas. In response, Israel initiated a military operation in the Gaza Strip on October 8.
Disturbingly, Palestinian health authorities, considered reliable by the United Nations, have reported over 15,000 Gazan fatalities, with thousands more feared missing and possibly buried under rubble.
Both Israel and Hamas had recently brokered a temporary truce aimed at freeing some hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held in Israel. However, this truce faced challenges. Israeli government spokesman Eylon Levy pointed the finger at Hamas, accusing them of failing to provide a complete list of hostages for release. He stated that Hamas was still holding 137 hostages abducted on October 7. In contrast, according to several media reports, Hamas claimed that Israel had demanded the release of ten female soldiers, a condition they rejected.
Despite these efforts, combat between Israel and Hamas resumed in the Gaza Strip when an agreement to extend the seven-day ceasefire could not be reached.
The situation in the region remains tense, with continued international concerns about the humanitarian crisis affecting the displaced population.
