Modi and Netanyahu discuss Israel-Hamas conflict and maritime security
Narendra Modi held a telephonic conversation with his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday to discuss the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas as well as concerns over the flow of shipping through vital West Asian corridors. “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," Modi tweeted on X, formerly Twitter, a social media website.
The two leaders had also spoken on 10 October, just days after Hamas launched an attack that killed an estimated 1,200 people in Israel. Modi and Netanyahu discussed freedom of navigation for ships going through the Bab-el-Mandeb, which has faced a threat from Yemen’s Houthi rebels. A tanker carrying a shipment of India-manufactured jet fuel recently evaded a missile strike from the Houthi rebels.
The Houthis say this action is to exact revenge from Israel for its attacks on Gaza. The Bab-el-Mandeb is a strait that acts as a crucial shipping route connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Indian Ocean. It is an important link for India's trade with the Middle-East, Africa and Europe.
The uncertainty has threatened a number of global shipping companies and has led to fears of rising prices of essential commodities like oil. “Indian Prime Minister Modi noted that freedom of navigation is an essential global necessity that must be ensured. The leaders also discussed advancing the arrival of foreign workers from India to the State of Israel.
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