India welcomes landmark Gaza Peace Agreement, reaffirms commitment to dialogue and diplomacy

Sharm El-Sheikh [Egypt], October 14 : Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh, as the special representative of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, attended the Gaza Peace Summit at Sharm El-Sheikh, co-hosted by US President Donald Trump and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi.

In a post on X, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, "MoS @KVSinghMPGonda, as special representative of PM @narendramodi, attended the Gaza Peace Summit at Sharm el-Sheikh co-hosted by Presidents @realDonaldTrump and @AlsisiOfficial."

https://x.com/MEAIndia/status/1977795302309470497

"India welcomes the signing of the landmark Peace Agreement and hopes that this will lead to lasting peace in the region," he added.

Jaiswal further said, "This is a reflection of India's longstanding commitment to dialogue & diplomacy."

During the summit, Union Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh also met Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi in Sharm El-Sheikh. Singh said that the summit underscored the global commitment to peace and dialogue.

In a post on X, Singh stated, "It was a privilege to meet with His Excellency President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi of Egypt during the Gaza Peace Summit in Sharm El-Sheikh. Egypt and India share a significant and vibrant strategic partnership. The Summit underscored the global commitment to peace and dialogue. India reaffirms its unwavering dedication to peace, stability, and enduring security within the Middle East."

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi extended thanks to US President Donald Trump, as well as to the leaders of Qatar and Turkiye, for their roles in advancing the Gaza Peace Plan. Al-Sisi reiterated his support for the plan, expressing hope that it would create the political horizon necessary for implementing a two-state solution to the conflict, according to translated remarks cited by Al Jazeera.

US President Donald Trump, addressing the summit, declared that "after years of suffering and bloodshed, the war in Gaza is over." He said, "Humanitarian aid is now pouring in, including hundreds of truckloads of food, medical equipment and other supplies, much of it paid by people in this room. Civilians are returning to their homes, the hostages are reuniting [with their families]."

"A new and beautiful day is rising and now the rebuilding begins," Trump added, expressing his "tremendous gratitude to the Arab and Muslim nations who helped make this incredible breakthrough possible," as quoted by Al Jazeera.

Meanwhile, Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun said his country and Israel should engage in negotiations to resolve remaining issues since the Lebanon war ended with a ceasefire in November, as per Al Jazeera.

"Lebanon negotiated in the past with Israel with mediation by the United States and the United Nations," Aoun said, referring to the 2022 agreement between the two countries over their maritime border. "What prevents repeating the same thing to find solutions to pending matters, especially because war did not lead to results?" he added.

Aoun noted that the current atmosphere in the Middle East is one of diplomacy, deals, and dialogue, suggesting that the timing and framework for negotiations could be determined as discussions progress. His comments came days after the US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas brought an end to the two-year war in Gaza, which had sparked other conflicts in the region, including the 14-month Israel-Hezbollah war, as per Al Jazeera.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, however, announced that he would not be travelling to Sharm El-Sheikh to attend the Gaza Peace Summit with global leaders, citing "time constraints" ahead of the Shemini Atzeret-Simchat Torah holiday.

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