PM Modi hails Donald Trump after release of Gaza war hostages: 'Their freedom stands tribute to...'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday welcomed the release of Gaza war hostages and hailed United States President Donald Trump for his efforts to bring peace to the region. He said the freedom of the hostages was a tribute to the courage of their families and Trump's "unwavering" peace efforts. All surviving Gaza war hostages were released by the militant group Hamas earlier in the day, after more than two years in captivity.

What did PM Modi say on release of hostages?

In a post on the social media platform X, PM Modi wrote: "We welcome the release of all hostages after over two years of captivity." He added: "Their freedom stands as a tribute to the courage of their families, the unwavering peace efforts of President Trump and the strong resolve of [Israeli] Prime Minister Netanyahu. We support President Trump’s sincere efforts to bring peace to the region."

What's the latest on the Gaza war?

Hamas -- which currently controls the Gaza Strip -- handed over all 20 living hostages to Israel on Monday. A group of Palestinian prisoners was also freed by Israel in return. This came after a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas came into force under a peace plan unveiled by Trump. The US president is currently in Israel and is expected to attend a summit on Gaza in the Egyptian resort city of Sharm al-Sheikh -- where talks between Israel, Hamas, and other stakeholders have been ongoing for several days. The war in Gaza began after Hamas launched a surprise attack in southern Israel in October 2023, killing over 1,200 people and taking hundreds of others hostage. After that, Netanyahu ordered a large-scale military offensive into Gaza. More than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed over the past two years, most of them civilians, including women and children.