'Israel content with strong, consistent support from India amid war with Hamas'

TEL AVIV: Israeli Ambassador Naor Gilon has said the country is very content with strong, consistent support from India amid the war with Hamas.

Speaking on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent remarks welcoming the release of hostages by Hamas, Gilon said: “I think India’s position from day one is very consistent all the time…I think he (Prime Minister Narendra Modi), the government and S Jaishankar (External Affairs Minister) wherever they spoke, it was always – first of all, terrorism is unacceptable – which many countries failed to do. They spoke about the two-state solution which is also totally understandable…”

Gilon added: “We are very content with the strong and consistent support we get from India and we appreciate it very much.”

Israel’s Cabinet recently approved a deal for the release of dozens of hostages from Gaza.

The truce brokered by Qatar between Israel and Hamas went into effect at 7 am (local time) on Friday.

In the lead-up to the temporary ceasefire, there were rocket sirens in Israeli towns near Gaza, and the IDF conducted intense shelling in Gaza to advance its mission against Hamas, The Times of Israel reported.

At 4 pm (local time), 13 hostages in Gaza are set to be freed, followed by an unspecified number of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails.

Over the next four days, around 50 women and children will be released, leaving an estimated 190 in the hands of Palestinian groups. Additionally, 150 Palestinian prisoners, mostly women and minors, are expected to be released, as reported by The Times of Israel.

The deal offers incentives for more hostage releases, with Israel agreeing to an extra day of truce for every ten additional hostages released by Hamas.

The truce allows for an influx of fuel and humanitarian supplies to Gaza, marking the first cessation of fighting since the conflict began seven weeks ago when Hamas massacred roughly 1,200 people, mostly civilians.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently asserted that terrorism is “unacceptable” and said that India is ready to walk along with member countries of the G20 in combating terrorism in all its forms. He added that the death of civilians in any manner is condemnable.

The PM in his opening remarks at the Virtual G20 Leaders’ Summit, condemned terrorism and also “welcomed” the release of hostages in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.

Hamas has taken more than 230 hostages captive in Gaza, including foreign nationals from 26 countries, according to figures from the Israeli military.

The Israeli Ambassador while speaking on hostages being released today, said: “The cabinet set two targets for IDF. The first was to eliminate the rule of Hamas and its capacities in Gaza. Second was to bring back the hostages…Under an agreement brokered by different countries, and different governments in the region, Hamas agreed to release about 50 women and children…I think mainly due to the military pressure that Israel put on Hamas, there is now this deal and we agreed to four days of ceasefire…”

“After that our full intention, once it is over, is to go back to our mission of eliminating Hamas’ control of Gaza and releasing the other hostages…” Gilon said.

Israel and Hamas recently exchanged lists of abductees and imprisoned terrorists ahead of a partial prisoner exchange and temporary ceasefire.

The IDF has said that it has completed preparations for the reception of the first group of 13 hostages set to be released at 4 pm from the Gaza Strip, in an operation dubbed “Heaven’s Door”, The Times of Israel reported.

Once released from Gaza via Egypt, the hostages will be brought by the IDF to Hatzerim Airbase in southern Israel for an initial reception where they will undergo a short physical and mental checkup.

The Israeli military has prepared psychologists and mental health experts to greet the hostages, many of whom are expected to be children. The experts will explain to them what happened in their community on October 7 when they believe the time is right.

The IDF has brought phones for the hostages so that they can call their relatives immediately upon arriving at Hatzerim.

The hostages upon being released, will remain for up to two hours at Hatzerim before being taken to a hospital, either by helicopter or minibus. The helicopters will be flying in a more comfortable and quiet mode.

Those who need immediate medical attention will be taken straight from the border to a hospital, without going to Hatzerim.

The families of the hostages are waiting at the hospitals, and hotel rooms have been reserved in the area, as per The Times of Israel.