New Delhi, Oct 13: With all 20 remaining living hostages held by Hamas finally back in Israel, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday welcomed their release after more than two years of captivity, expressing India’s support for US President Donald Trump’s sincere efforts to restore peace and stability in the region.
The release of the hostages marks the first phase of President Trump’s Gaza peace plan, a development that leaders across the world have hailed as a potential breakthrough toward ending one of the region’s longest-running conflicts.
“We welcome the release of all hostages after over two years of captivity,” Prime Minister Modi wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “Their freedom stands as a tribute to the courage of their families, the unwavering peace efforts of President Trump, and the strong resolve of Prime Minister Netanyahu,” he added.
“India supports President Trump’s sincere efforts to bring peace to the region,” the Prime Minister further said.
As part of the peace initiative, Israel is releasing nearly 2,000 prisoners and detainees, signaling a significant reciprocal step aimed at de-escalation and trust-building between the two sides.
Addressing the Israeli Parliament (Knesset), President Trump described the Gaza peace process as “the dawn of a new Middle East”, asserting that “a beautiful and much brighter future now appears within reach for the region.”
“After two harrowing years of darkness and captivity, 20 courageous hostages are returning to the glorious embrace of their families,” Trump said, lauding the humanitarian and diplomatic coordination that made the release possible.
The ceasefire in Gaza, brokered as part of the wider peace framework, came into effect on Friday, bringing a temporary halt to months of intense conflict.
The war in Gaza was launched by Israel following Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attacks, which killed about 1,200 people and led to 251 hostages being taken into Gaza. While some hostages were released earlier through separate mediation efforts, the return of the last 20 hostages represents the most comprehensive release since the conflict began.
According to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, Israeli military operations since 2023 have resulted in over 66,000 Palestinian deaths, alongside massive destruction of civilian infrastructure.
Gaza continues to face an unprecedented humanitarian crisis, with acute shortages of food, clean water, and medical supplies. The World Health Organization (WHO) warned last month that malnutrition rates in Gaza have reached “alarming levels,” particularly among children and displaced populations.
Under the framework of the Trump Peace Plan, Gaza is envisioned to become a “deradicalised, terror-free zone”, aimed at ensuring it no longer poses a threat to its neighbours. The plan further includes a roadmap for redevelopment, reconstruction, and economic revitalisation to improve living standards for the people of the Strip. Diplomatic observers say the latest developments have rekindled cautious optimism that the prolonged cycle of violence in the region could finally give way to a sustainable peace process — one that balances security, sovereignty, and humanitarian restoration.
