Modi speaks with Israeli PM, expresses concern over safety of maritime traffic

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday about the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas and expressed concern over the safety of maritime traffic. PM Modi, in a telephonic conversation with Netanyahu, also highlighted India's advocacy for the peaceful resolution of conflict in the Middle Eastern region and assured continued humanitarian assistance for suffering people.

Taking to X, PM Modi shared his conversation with Netanyahu saying, "Had a productive exchange of views with PM @netanyahu on the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, including shared concerns on the safety of maritime traffic. Highlighted India's consistent stand in favour of early restoration of peace & stability in the region with continued humanitarian assistance for the affected."

Moreover, the Israeli Prime Minister's Office also shared about their conversation and said, "The two leaders spoke about the importance of safeguarding the free shipping in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait that is threatened by the Houthis at the behest of Iran, and the global interest in preventing harm to international trade, including the economies of Israel and India," The Times of Israel reported.

The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza says that at least 19,667 Palestinians have been killed in the Israel-Hamas war in the Strip since October 7.

According to the ministry, 52,586 people in Gaza have been wounded in more than two months of fighting, The Times of Israel reported. The figures cannot be verified and Hamas does not differentiate between civilians and combatants. It also discriminates between those killed by Israel and those killed by the hundreds of rockets it fired that fell short in Gaza.

Israel said it has killed more than 7,000 terrorists inside Gaza. The war was sparked when Hamas invaded southern Israel, killing more than 1,200 people, most of them civilians, and taking some 240 hostages. Yemen's Houthi rebels have claimed to have launched a drone attack on two cargo vessels in the Red Sea, disrupting maritime trade and causing freight companies to avoid the area, Al Jazeera reported.

Houthi spokesperson Yahya Sarea identified the vessels as the MSC Clara and Norwegian-owned Swan Atlantic and said the attacks were carried out after their crews failed to respond to calls from the group, according to Al Jazeera.

Notably, the Iran-backed Houthis have attacked numerous vessels over recent weeks, saying they are targeting ships in the Red Sea "with links to Israel" in protest against its military offensive in Gaza. The group has warned against sailing towards the area, Al Jazeera reported. The attacks have caused concerns about the impact on the passage of oil, grain and other goods on what is an important global trade route, and they have pushed up the cost of insuring and shipping goods through the Red Sea.

About 40 per cent of international trade passes through the narrow strait between Yemen and northeast Africa, which leads northwards to the Red Sea, Israel's southern port facilities and the Suez Canal. In a major development, oil major BP temporarily paused all transit through the Red Sea, citing security concerns.

The alternative route for ships avoiding the Suez Canal is to take a much longer trip around Africa. Last week, the US announced that it was in talks with other countries to set up a task force to protect the trade route. An Italian source on Monday reported that the country is considering joining a naval coalition to patrol the Red Sea, Al Jazeera reported.