Tel Aviv: National Security Adviser Ajit Doval met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel to discuss regional developments and the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip. Netanyahu updated Doval on the recent developments in the fighting in the Palestinian enclave as both sides discussed the effort to release the hostages and the issue of humanitarian assistance to Gaza.
"Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met today with Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and updated him on recent developments in the fighting in the Gaza Strip. The sides also discussed the effort to release the hostages and the issue of humanitarian assistance," read a statement from the Israel PM's office.
The Director of the National Security Council Tzachi Hanegbi, the Prime Minister's Foreign Policy Advisor and the Indian Ambassador to Israel also participated in the meeting. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been constantly in touch with the important leaders in the region, such as the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan, and is actively involved in discussions to promote peace and stability in the region.
India has supported efforts to provide necessary humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian population in Gaza sending consignments of essential items. The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking around 250 hostages.
Netanyahu to begin military operations in Rafah
Earlier, Netanyahu on Sunday reiterated his stand to begin military operations in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, stating that Israel wants to ensure that an attack similar to October 7 won't happen again. "We'll go there. We're not going to leave. You know, I have a red line. You know what the red line is? That October 7 doesn't happen again. Never happens again. And to do that, we have to complete the destruction of the Hamas terrorist army," he said.
The Israeli PM also defended his policies in the Gaza Strip and responded to US President Joe Biden's remark that the Israeli leader is "hurting Israel more than helping", saying that a majority of Israelis support his policies. Meanwhile, the Hamas political leader, Ismail Haniyeh, said the militant group is still open to continued mediated talks with Israel after the sides failed to reach a truce agreement as Ramadan begins.
The United States, Qatar and Egypt had hoped to broker a cease-fire ahead of the normally joyous month of dawn-to-dusk fasting that would include the release of dozens of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, and the entry of a large amount of humanitarian aid. However, the cease-fire talks stalled last week after both sides rejected the conditions demanded by the other side.
Gaza's Health Ministry said the bodies of 67 people killed by Israeli strikes were brought to hospitals over the past 24 hours, raising the death toll well past 31,000. Five months of war have forced around 80 per cent of Gaza's 2.3 million people from their homes and pushed hundreds of thousands to the brink of famine.
(with inputs from agencies)
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