We maintain a clear stance, India stands for peace, PM Modi said (File)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday that India sent a special envoy to Israel during its war with the Hamas terror group, to urge them to maintain peace rather than engage in combat during the month of Ramadan.
In an interview with Republic TV, PM Modi stressed on Friday that Israel should not fight, at least during the auspicious month of Ramadan.
"The time when Israel and Hamas were at war. I sent my special envoy to Israel to explain that Ramadan is going on. At least don't fight in Ramadan, don't attack anyone," PM Modi said.
"Secondly, I said that during the month of Ramadan, whatever the people need, India wants to send them, there should not be any hindrance. So this is our character and when we do this, we don't brag about it. Sometimes we get success, sometimes we don't. But we are doing it," he said.
Earlier in March, responding to international pressure for a cease-fire, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed the idea of a pause for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, saying while he would "like to see another hostage release," he didn't see any "breakthrough in the negotiations ... Without a release, there's not going to be a pause in the fighting."
On March 7, a Hamas delegation concluded talks in Cairo without a clear breakthrough. Israel has issued a warning that if hostages in Gaza are not released before Ramadan, they will launch a military offensive in Rafah, where over a million displaced people are taking refuge.
The conflict in Gaza escalated after the Hamas terror group attacked Israel on October 7, when about 2,500 terrorists breached the border into Israel from the Gaza Strip, leading to casualties and the seizure of hostages.
Israel has since, characterised its Gaza offensive as targeting Hamas' infrastructure with the goal of eliminating the entire terror group while making efforts to minimise civilian casualties.
While speaking regarding the Israel-Hamas war, PM Modi stated that when the world is choosing sides, we maintain a clear stance, India stands for peace.
"All the groups in the world. The community is formed. Almost all the communities want India's presence in some form or another. So, India is in a good position. As far as the issue of conflict is concerned, the world is taking the position," he said.
However, adding, "We are the only ones who have a clear stand, we are not on the side of anyone. We are on the side of peace," PM Modi emphasised.
"And because of this, the world has developed trust in us that these are the only people who do not talk about giving arms (weapons) to anyone and do not talk about fighting anyone," he stated
Amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, PM Modi also shared an instance, when he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin and stated, "I had the courage to sit with President Putin and tell him this is not the time for war. And we are in favour of peace."
"We are not ready to leave the country's values. We are going to the world with our country, our values, and our traditions," he added.
In response to the question about Narendra Modi's role as an acceptable global mediator in global conflict, he is being invited by the Western Block to the Ukraine peace summit, the G7 summit, and the annual summit with Russia.
PM Modi replied, "The world knows what the election results will be and because of that, I have been extended invitations for June, August, October and September.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)