NEW DELHI: India on Tuesday welcomed US President Donald Trump’s 20-point Gaza peace plan, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi terming the proposal a “viable pathway” to lasting peace, security, and development for both Palestinians and Israelis.
The ambitious roadmap, unveiled by Trump during his meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Monday, aims to bring an immediate halt to nearly two years of devastating conflict in Gaza.
The plan mandates a 72-hour window for Hamas to release all hostages, both living and deceased, in exchange for a ceasefire and partial Israeli troop withdrawal.
“We welcome President Donald J. Trump’s announcement of a comprehensive plan to end the Gaza conflict,” Modi said. “It provides a viable pathway to long-term and sustainable peace, security, and development for the Palestinian and Israeli people, as also for the larger West Asian region,” the Prime Minister noted.
India, which has long supported a two-state solution and has consistently condemned terrorism, reiterated its hope that “all concerned will come together behind President Trump’s initiative and support this effort to end conflict and secure peace.”
India’s endorsement of Trump’s plan is consistent with its longstanding call for diplomacy and dialogue to resolve the Israel-Palestine conflict.
Sources highlighted New Delhi’s historical support for Palestinian statehood, its early recognition of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO), and its vote in favour of the “New York Declaration” on peaceful settlement earlier this month.
India has maintained a delicate diplomatic balance throughout the war, condemning Hamas’s October 7, 2023, terrorist attack while also calling for an end to the loss of civilian life and ensuring timely humanitarian aid to Palestinians.
Trump’s 20-point Gaza peace plan outlines an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, with all hostages, living or deceased, to be returned within 72 hours. The plan calls for a suspension of all military operations and a freeze on battle lines, followed by a phased Israeli withdrawal contingent on compliance.
In exchange, Israel will release 1,950 Palestinian prisoners. Hamas members who renounce violence will be granted amnesty and safe passage. Humanitarian aid will flow into Gaza under UN supervision. The plan establishes a “Board of Peace” led by Trump and international experts, including Tony Blair, to oversee an interim government in Gaza.
Central to the proposal is the reconstruction of the enclave as “New Gaza,” alongside a renewed push for a negotiated two-state solution with secure, recognised borders.
Trump’s peace push comes amid growing international exhaustion with the prolonged conflict, which has claimed over 66,000 lives in Gaza and left the region teetering on the brink of further escalation. With global opinion increasingly critical of Israel’s military operations, and Netanyahu politically weakened and diplomatically isolated, Trump’s leverage, evident in his push for a conciliatory phone call between Netanyahu and Qatar’s prime minister, signals a potential shift in U.S. engagement. “Netanyahu is a warrior,” Trump said on Monday, “but the Israeli people want to get back to peace. They want normalisation in the true sense.”