NSA Doval discussed humanitarian assistance to Gaza, hostage release during Israel visit: MEA

NSA Doval, during his meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, discussed the delivery of humanitarian assistance to Gaza as well as the release of hostages in Hamas captivity.

National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval's visit to Israel on the onset of Ramadan, carried forward the efforts of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is keen to promote peace and stability in the region, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Friday. NSA Doval, during his meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, discussed the delivery of humanitarian assistance to Gaza as well as the release of hostages in Hamas captivity.

Addressing the weekly briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, "There is a context to it. The Prime Minister himself is interested and is keen to promote peace and stability in the region. He has been in touch with several Arab leaders in this connection. NSA's visit to Israel, which took place on the onset of Ramadan, carried forward these efforts." "NSA called on the Israeli Prime Minister, he met his Israeli counterpart and several other senior leaders and discussed developments in Gaza. He emphasised the delivery of humanitarian aid and assistance and discussed steps being taken or undertaken for the release of hostages," he added.

Earlier this month, NSA Ajit Doval visited Israel and held a meeting with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and discussed the ongoing war against Hamas in Gaza. Efforts to release hostages and humanitarian assistance in Gaza were also discussed during their meeting. "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," the Israeli PM Office said in a post on X on Monday (March 11).

"The Director of the National Security Council, the Prime Minister's Foreign Policy Advisor and the Indian Ambassador to Israel also participated in the meeting," it added. Hamas carried out a massive terror attack in Israel on October 7 killing over 1200 people and taking more than 250 hostages, out of whom around 130 are still in captivity.

Notably, India has maintained a robust stance on the conflict, by strongly condemning terrorism while also calling for humanitarian assistance for civilians. PM Modi was one of the first global leaders to condemn the horrific terror attack on Israel by Hamas on October 7. But India has also continued with its weight behind the 'two-state solution' to the long-running Israel-Palestine conflict.

India also sent humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza as part of its commitment. India recently fulfilled its annual contribution of USD 5 million for 2023-24 to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). (ANI)

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