India Applauds Ceasefire Between Israel and Lebanon: A Step Toward Lasting Peace
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New Delhi, April 17 (NationPress) On Friday, India expressed a warm welcome to the ceasefire declaration between Israel and Lebanon, reiterating its support for any initiative that moves toward sustainable peace.
During a media briefing in New Delhi, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated, "We applaud the ceasefire. We endorse every action that contributes to peace."
The MEA's remarks followed US President Donald Trump's announcement on Thursday regarding the ceasefire, which aims to provide temporary respite amid the ongoing Iran conflict.
Although Lebanon is not officially at war with Israel, Hezbollah exerts control over significant regions in southern Lebanon and has conducted attacks on Israel, leading to retaliatory strikes. As a result, Lebanon has suffered significantly due to Israeli responses against Hezbollah.
In response to inquiries about Israel's request for India to classify Hamas as a terrorist organization and India's stance on disarming Hamas, Jaiswal noted, "We have a systematic process for addressing these matters."
On the same day, Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar emphasized the necessity of Hamas being recognized as a terrorist group by India during a virtual meeting with a gathering of prominent Hindu leaders from around the globe.
"I highlighted the critical need for Hamas to be designated as a terrorist organization by India. Hamas maintains connections with various radical Islamist terror groups, including Lashkar-e-Taiba," Sa'ar remarked during the virtual discussion.
The Israeli Foreign Minister expressed his honor in briefing the assembly of distinguished leaders.
"I discussed the positive developments in strengthening Israel's ties with India, which we consider of utmost importance. Additionally, I addressed the historic struggle Israel has faced over the past 2.5 years against radical Islam, whose declared goal is the eradication of Israel," Saar shared on social media.
"Israel has proven its superiority on multiple fronts, successfully diminishing the terror network of radical Islam led by the Iranian regime. This ongoing struggle has implications that extend beyond the Middle East," he added.