Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar has emphasised the strengthening of bilateral relations between Jerusalem and New Delhi, noting what he described as “positive trends” in the partnership.

In a post on X, he shared details of his engagement with a global delegation, stating he was honoured to brief a group of distinguished Hindu leaders from around the world.

During this interaction, he provided a strategic overview of the regional security landscape and the ongoing conflict involving Israel.

Sa’ar spoke about the long-standing hostilities Israel has faced, describing the “historic campaign Israel had been forced to fight for the past 2.5 years against radical Islam.” He warned of the existential nature of the threat, stressing that “their declared objective is the elimination of Israel, and they act to achieve that goal.”

Despite these challenges, the Foreign Minister asserted that Israel has demonstrated superiority on all fronts. He claimed that the Israeli military has “dramatically weakened the terror octopus of radical Islam, headed by the Iranian regime,” and added that this struggle has implications beyond the Middle East.

Turning to policy and security cooperation, Sa’ar stressed the importance of India designating Hamas as a terrorist organisation. He underscored the interconnected nature of global militancy, pointing out that “Hamas has ties with all other radical Islamist terror organisations, including Lashkar-e-Taiba.”

This push for a formal listing follows consistent diplomatic efforts by Israel, which has urged India to move towards designating organisations operating against it as terrorist groups.

Senior Israeli officials have previously noted that New Delhi’s stance carries significant regional influence, particularly as India has already proscribed Lashkar-e-Taiba and Israel expects reciprocation.

A senior official in Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs suggested that there is an understanding within the Indian government of the “networks and linkages” connected to these groups. The official indicated that ties between Hamas and LeT were “significant,” adding that Iran’s IRGC, Hamas, and Hezbollah increasingly rely on transnational criminal networks to stage attacks worldwide.

He explained that “you’re not going to see an Iranian operative act directly in Europe. What you will see is a criminal group connected to an Iranian handler who then carries out an attack,” illustrating the indirect methods used by these entities.

Another official stressed that even a declaratory designation by India would have a strong global impact. He noted that neighbouring countries such as Bangladesh, Pakistan, and the Maldives “look up to India,” and New Delhi’s stance shapes regional responses. Beyond freezing assets, the official stated it would signal that “no operative should step on Indian soil.”

The diplomatic pressure coincides with military concerns regarding “clear attempts” by Hamas to rebuild its structures. The Israeli Defence Forces have also supported the move, with Lt Col Nadav Shoshani, International Spokesperson for the IDF, stating it would be a “good thing” as both nations face a “common enemy.”

While India condemned the Hamas attacks of 7 October 2023, it has yet to formally list the group as a terrorist organisation under domestic law.

ANI