New Delhi:

India today welcomed the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon saying that the move will help bring peace and stability in West Asia. New Delhi said that it has always recommended the path of diplomacy as the 21st Century is no longer an era for war.

“We welcome the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon that has been announced. We have always called for de-escalation, restraint, and returh to the path of dialogue and diplomacy,” a statement from the Ministry of External Affairs read.

“We hope that these developments will lead to peace and stability in the wider region,” it added.

A ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon came into effect today. Militant group Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran, is based in Lebanon and the latest conflict with Israel started after Hezbollah attacked Israel with its rockets and projectiles in support of its regional ally Hamas, which is another militant group backed by Iran.

Hezbollah has been supporting Hamas – based in Gaza – in its war with Israel. Hamas had carried out a terrorist attack on Israel in October 2023 when it crossed the Gaza-Israel border and stormed a concert killing several Israeli nationals and taking many as hostages, some of whom are still in captivity. This is what triggered the latest war in the region. It has now been more than a year of war in the Middle-East in which tens of thousands of people have died.

Though the ceasefire, a welcome step, halts the war on the Lebanon-front, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in his statement clearly said that the focus on Hamas and Iran will not end.

Prime Minister Netanyahu has also warned that if Hezbollah breaks the deal, Israel will not honour it either and will strike back with full force. The peace deal has been achieved with the intervention of the United States and France, and US President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron are expected to make an official announcement shortly.

Displaced residents of south Lebanon have begun to return to their homes amid celebrations hours after the ceasefire.

Since the beginning of the war, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has repeatedly expressed his deep concern over the widening of the conflict in West Asia and reiterated India’s call to de-escalate the situation.

Stating that “India is on the side of peace”, PM Modi had also said that New Delhi will do whatever it can to help bring all sides to the dialogue table.

Earlier this week, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar also met Lebanon Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib on the sidelines of Rome Mediterranean Dialogue. Speaking about the crises 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 deeply concerning, both for what has happened and what may still come. India unequivocally condemns terrorism and hostage taking. It also regards large scale civilian casualties in military operations to be unacceptable. International humanitarian law cannot be disregarded. In immediate terms, we should all support a ceasefire.”