India today welcomed the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon, saying the move will help in bringing peace and stability in West Asia. New Delhi said it has always recommended adopting the path of diplomacy as the 21st century is no longer an era of war.
“We welcome the ceasefire announced between Israel and Lebanon. We have always called for de-escalation, exercise of restraint and a return to the path of dialogue and diplomacy,” a Foreign Ministry statement said.
“We hope that these developments will bring peace and stability to the broader region,” it said.
The ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon came into effect from today. The terrorist group Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran, is based in Lebanon and the latest conflict with Israel began when Hezbollah attacked Israel with its rockets and projectiles in support of its regional ally Hamas, another supported by Iran. Is a terrorist group.
Hezbollah is supporting Gaza-based Hamas in its war with Israel. Hamas launched a terrorist attack on Israel in October 2023 when it crossed the Gaza-Israel border and attacked a concert, killing several Israeli civilians and taking several hostages, some of whom are still in captivity. This led to the latest war in the region. It has now been more than a year since the war in the Middle East has left thousands of people dead.
Although the ceasefire is a welcome step that prevents war on the Lebanon-front, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made it clear in his statement that the focus on Hamas and Iran will not end.
Prime Minister Netanyahu has also warned that if Hezbollah breaks the agreement, Israel will also not respect it and will retaliate with full force. The peace deal was achieved with the intervention of the United States and France, and US President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron are expected to officially announce it soon.
Displaced residents of southern Lebanon have begun returning to their homes amid celebrations, hours after a ceasefire.
Since the beginning of the war, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has repeatedly expressed his deep concern over the expansion of the conflict in West Asia and reiterated India’s call to de-escalate the situation.
Saying that “India is in favor of peace”, PM Modi had also said that New Delhi will do whatever it can to help bring all parties to the negotiating table.
Earlier this week, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar also met Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdullah Bou Habib on the sidelines of the Rome Mediterranean Dialogue. Speaking about the crisis in West Asia as well as the war between Russia and Ukraine, Mr Jaishankar had said that “solutions are not going to come from the battlefield.”
Speaking specifically about the Middle East conflict, Mr Jaishankar said, “The situation in the Middle East is obviously very worrying, given what has happened and what may still happen. India unequivocally condemns terrorism and hostage-taking. It also concerns large-scale civilian casualties.” This may be considered unacceptable in military operations. “In the immediate term, we must all support a ceasefire.”
