Netanyahu pauses security cabinet meeting on Gaza ceasefire deal to speak with PM Modi

TEL AVIV: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the phone, halting the security cabinet meeting that was discussing a ceasefire and hostage release agreement under US President Donald Trump’s 20-point Gaza Peace Plan, The Times of Israel quoted his office as saying.

During the conversation, PM Modi congratulated Israeli PM on the progress made under US President Donald Trump’s Gaza Peace Plan. “Prime Minister Modi congratulated Prime Minister Netanyahu on the agreement reached for the release of all the hostages”, according to a statement from Netanyahu’s office.

Called my friend, Prime Minister Netanyahu, to congratulate him on the progress made under President Trump’s Gaza peace plan. We welcome the agreement on the release of hostages and enhanced humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza. Reaffirmed that terrorism in any form or…

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 9, 2025

Later, Prime Minister Modi, in a post on X, said, “Called my friend, Prime Minister Netanyahu, to congratulate him on the progress made under President Trump’s Gaza peace plan. We welcome the agreement on the release of hostages and enhanced humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza. Reaffirmed that terrorism in any form or manifestation is unacceptable anywhere in the world.”

The Office of the Prime Minister of Israel also posted on X, “Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu just spoke with the Prime Minister of India. Narendra Modi conveyed his congratulations to Prime Minister Netanyahu on the agreement achieved for the release of all of the hostages”.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu just spoke with the Prime Minister of India @narendramodi.@PMOIndia Modi conveyed his congratulations to Prime Minister Netanyahu on the agreement achieved for the release of all of the hostages.

— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) October 9, 2025

Meanwhile, the Israeli government has voted in favour of a ceasefire and hostage release agreement under US President Donald Trump’s 20-point Gaza Peace Plan, CNN reported on Thursday. This comes as Netanyahu initially convened Israel’s security cabinet to discuss the decision, and subsequently, held a meeting with ministers.

“The government has now approved the outline for the release of all the hostages — the living and the dead”, the Israeli Prime Minister’s office announced early on Friday morning, The Jerusalem Post reported. Officials have stated that the ceasefire will take effect immediately, according to CNN.

Steve Witkoff, US President Donald Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, were also present in the Israeli government’s meeting in Jerusalem, where the government voted on the US-brokered ceasefire deal.

With this, the Israeli government approved “phase one” of a ceasefire agreement, where the exchange of hostages and Israel’s withdrawal from parts of Gaza is expected, Al Jazeera reported.

Hamas chief negotiator Khalil al-Hayya spoke about the guarantees received from the US that the ceasefire agreement’s first phase means that the war in Gaza “has ended completely”.

Earlier, US President Trump on Wednesday announced that Israel and Hamas had agreed to the first phase of a peace plan, which would end the war in Gaza with a ceasefire deal. In this, he said that the hostages will be released.

Later, the US President held a cabinet meeting at the White House on Thursday morning following the announcement that the “first phase” of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas would commence soon.

At the meeting, Trump said, “Last night, we reached a momentous breakthrough in the Middle East, something that people said was never going to be done. We ended the war in Gaza, and I think it’s going to be a lasting peace, hopefully, an everlasting peace.”

“We secured the release of all of the remaining hostages, and they should be released on Monday or Tuesday. Getting them is a complicated process…I’m going to try and make a trip over. We’re going to try and get over there. We’re working on the timing, the exact timing. We’re going to go to Egypt, where we’ll have a signing, an additional signing. We’ve already had a signing representing me, but we’re going to have an official signing…” he said.

Trump also emphasised his administration’s role in resolving global conflicts, stating that multiple wars had been brought to a close during his tenure. (ANI)