PM Modi welcomes Trump's Gaza plan: Viable pathway to long term peace

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday welcomed US President Donald Trump's 20-point peace plan to end the Israel-Gaza war, hours after Trump met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House.

In a post on X, PM Modi said, "We welcome President Donald J. Trump’s announcement of a comprehensive plan to end the Gaza conflict. It provides a viable pathway to long term and sustainable peace, security, and development for the Palestinian and Israeli people, as well as for the larger West Asian region. We hope that all concerned will come together behind President Trump’s initiative and support this effort to end conflict and secure peace."

Trump introduces Gaza peace plan

Earlier on Monday (local time), Trump held a meeting with Netanyahu to discuss the plan that could end the war in Gaza. Speaking at a joint news conference, the US President released a 20-point plan, which includes ending the conflict immediately if both Israel and Hamas accept the plan. Once accepted, the Israeli forces will have to withdraw to the agreed-upon line to prepare for the release of hostages.

Under the proposal, all military activity, including air strikes and artillery fire, would be paused, and battle lines would remain frozen until conditions for staged withdrawal are met. The plan also aims to establish a temporary governing board in Palestine, which will be headed by Trump and former British prime minister Tony Blair.

According to the 20-point plan, once all the hostages are released, Hamas members who commit to peaceful co-existence and decommission their weapons will be given amnesty.

India's stance on the Israel-Gaza war

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in August reiterated India's consistent stance on the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, calling for an immediate ceasefire, the unconditional release of hostages, along with the uninterrupted supply of humanitarian aid. The MEA has also backed the two-state solution.

MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, "Our position on the conflict has been clear and consistent. There has been no change. We continue to call for a ceasefire, unconditional release of hostages, and continued supply of humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza."

Trump-Netanyahu meeting

The meeting between Trump and Netanyahu came at a stressful time, especially for Israel, which is being increasingly isolated by countries that were once its strongest allies. During his meeting with Trump, the Israeli PM also issued a formal apology to his Qatari counterpart on a phone call, expressing his deep regret for the military strikes in Doha targeting the Hamas leadership.

Netanyahu also regretted the death of a Qatari serviceman who was unintentionally targeted in the military strike. Following his phone call with Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, the latter welcomed Israel's reassurance and expressed readiness to contribute to mediating talks between the two countries again.

During Netanyahu's speech at the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) meeting, dozens of officials and diplomats staged a walkout as he took the podium, highlighting the isolation that Israel is currently facing.