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What people in India are saying about Modi’s Israel visit

What people in India are saying about Modi’s Israel visit
By Urooba Jamal, Nils Adler, Jillian Kestler-D'Amours and Federica Marsi
Published On 25 Feb 2026

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25 Feb 2026 - 19:55
 (19:55 GMT)

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For our explainer on why Indian Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Israel matters, and what’s on the agenda, read this.

To learn why the US is being condemned for providing consular services in illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, read this.

And, for all our coverage of Israel and Palestine, click here.

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi attends the welcome ceremony upon his arrival at the Ben Gurion airport near Tel Aviv on February 25, 2026 [AFP]
25 Feb 2026 - 19:45
 (19:45 GMT)

Here’s what happened today

We will close this live page shortly. But before we do, here’s a look at the day’s major developments:

  • Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi says he is “humbled” to be the first person to receive the Medal of the Knesset, which he describes as a testament to the “enduring friendship between India and Israel”.
  • Modi addresses the Israeli parliament, pledging “to further consolidate” the two countries’ relationship.
  • Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hails the deepening trade and cooperation between Israel and India in recent years and describes Modi as “more than a friend, a brother”.
  • Palestinians in Gaza have woken up in soaked tents after heavy overnight rainfall.
  • Israeli settlers have launched several attacks on Palestinians in the occupied West Bank with assaults reported near Nablus and Hebron.
  • The Committee ⁠to Protect Journalists says a record 129 journalists and media workers were killed in the course of their work last year, two-thirds of them by Israel.
25 Feb 2026 - 19:30
 (19:30 GMT)

WATCH: Gaza winter storm floods tents as displaced Palestinians endure cold nights in Ramadan

Heavy rain has flooded Gaza – the first winter storm to hit the Strip since the holy month of Ramadan began.

For Palestinian families living in flimsy tents and makeshift shelters, the downpour has deepened an already severe humanitarian crisis. Israel is still restricting the entry of humanitarian aid, sustainable shelter and building materials in violation of the ceasefire agreement with Hamas.

Al Jazeera’s Assed Baig reports:

25 Feb 2026 - 19:15
 (19:15 GMT)

Israel to appoint ambassador to Somaliland ‘soon’

Israel’s foreign ministry has announced it will “soon” appoint an ambassador to Somaliland, following the establishment of diplomatic relations with the region that seceded from Somalia during a civil war.

In a post on X, the ministry described the move as “an additional step in strengthening relations between the two countries.”

Israel became the only country in the world to recognise Somaliland’s independence in December, something the territory has been seeking since declaring its autonomy from Somalia in 1991.

Somalia’s Defence Minister Ahmed Moalim Fiqi accused Israel of planning to forcibly displace Palestinians to the breakaway region, denouncing the alleged plan as a “serious violation” of international law.

25 Feb 2026 - 19:00
 (19:00 GMT)

Modi says ‘humbled’ to receive ‘Medal of the Knesset’

The Indian prime minister is the first recipient of the so-called “Medal of the Knesset”, Israeli parliamentary Speaker Amir Ohana has announced.

“I accept it with humility and gratitude,” Modi wrote on social media.

“This honour is not a tribute to an individual, but to the enduring friendship between India and Israel.”

25 Feb 2026 - 18:45
 (18:45 GMT)

‘Anti-Palestinian repression’: Legal experts document hundreds of UK cases

By Anealla Safdar

Legal experts have documented almost 1,000 incidents in which pro-Palestine voices have been allegedly targeted in the United Kingdom, data that they say represents a “systematic effort” to repress the country’s solidarity movement.

The European Legal Support Center (ELSC) has verified 964 cases of “anti-Palestinian repression” from January 2019 until August 2025, including students being investigated over their solidarity, activists being arrested, employees facing disciplinary procedures and artists having their events cancelled.

Read our story here.

Police officers try to hold back demonstrators during a protest against UK arms exports and Israeli weapons firms amid the war in Gaza [File: Jack Taylor/Reuters]
25 Feb 2026 - 18:30
 (18:30 GMT)

More than 18,500 patients awaiting medical evacuation from Gaza: UN

Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, says that figure includes at least 4,000 Palestinian children who “urgently” need medical care outside the bombarded enclave.

Dujarric told reporters during a briefing in New York that the World Health Organization (WHO) has facilitated the evacuation of more than 740 Palestinians from October 10 when the “ceasefire” came into effect to Monday of this week.

Those patients, including 432 children, were allowed out of Gaza via the Karem Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) crossing and the Rafah crossing with Egypt, both in the south, Dujarric said.

“To reduce reliance on evacuation, the WHO continues to call for the rehabilitation and building of Gaza’s health system, including allowing more medical supplies in, restoring damaged facilities and expanding essential services,” he said.

Egyptian ambulances go through the Rafah border crossing as seen on the Egyptian side of the border on February 10, 2026 [Reuters]
25 Feb 2026 - 18:15
 (18:15 GMT)

Calls for justice grow after Israeli settlers kill another US citizen

By Ali Harb

Reporting from Washington, DC

After Israeli settlers killed 19-year-old United States citizen Nasrallah Abu Siyam in the occupied West Bank last week, the US Department orf State said it “has no higher priority than the safety and security of Americans”.

But, as the number of US citizens killed by Israel continues to mount, rights advocates say Washington’s failure to ensure accountability is driving a deadly cycle of impunity.

Abu Siyam, who was shot dead in the village of Mikhmas near Jerusalem, is among at least 11 US citizens killed by Israeli settlers or soldiers since 2022.

“It’s a joke. I don’t take these people seriously,” William Asfour, Chicago chapter coordinator for American Muslims for Palestine, said of the US government’s response to the latest killing.

Read more here.

Mourners attend the funeral of Nasrallah Abu Siyam in the town of Mikhmas in the occupied West Bank on February 19 [File: Ammar Awad/Reuters]
25 Feb 2026 - 18:00
 (18:00 GMT)

Photos: EU diplomats tour aftermath of Israeli settler attack

Residents speak with a diplomatic group from the EU, led by Ambassador Alexandre Stutzmann, at the site where tents and vehicles of Palestinians were set on fire by Israeli settlers in Susya, a village south of Hebron in the occupied West Bank [AFP]
Palestinians walk past a burned car in Susya [AFP]
[AFP]
[AFP]

25 Feb 2026 - 17:45
 (17:45 GMT)

UK granted permission to appeal ruling that Palestine Action ban was unlawful

The ⁠British ⁠government has been given permission to appeal ⁠against a ruling that its ban ⁠on the pro-Palestinian campaign group Palestine Action as a “terrorist” organisation was unlawful.

London’s High Court ⁠granted Britain’s Home Office permission to challenge its ruling, saying ‌the ban would remain in place pending ‌the ‌appeal.

The court had ruled this month that ⁠the ban was unlawful.

Palestine ‌Action was proscribed in July after targeting Israel-linked defence companies in Britain, often blocking ⁠entrances or spraying ⁠red paint.

25 Feb 2026 - 17:30
 (17:30 GMT)

Record 129 journalists and media workers killed in 2025, mostly by Israel: CPJ

A record 129 journalists and media workers were killed in the course of their work last year, two-thirds of them killed by Israel, the Committee ⁠to Protect Journalists has found.

In its annual report, the New York-based independent organisation said it was the second straight year that press killings set a record and the second straight year that Israel was responsible for two-thirds of them.

Israeli fire killed 86 journalists in 2025, mostly Palestinians in Gaza. Israel was also responsible for 81 percent of the 47 killings that the CPJ ‌classified as intentionally targeted, or “murder”. It said the actual figure was probably higher due to access restrictions that made verification difficult in Gaza.

Israel has acknowledged targeting journalists in Gaza it said ⁠had links to Hamas, without providing verifiable evidence. CPJ called such allegations by Israel “deadly smears”.

“Israeli military has now committed more targeted killings of the press than ⁠any other government’s military on record”, the report said, noting that CPJ started collecting data more than three decades ago.

25 Feb 2026 - 17:15
 (17:15 GMT)

WATCH: What’s driving ‘special relationship’ between Israel and India?

Modi’s visit to Israel is expected to reinforce already strong ties between India and Israel, but it also highlights the shift in Indian policy on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict since the Indian prime minister came to power in 2014.

Over the years, the two countries have developed partnerships in many fields, particularly defence and technology. Now, they say they want to take that relationship a step further, with Netanyahu hoping to establish a new axis.

But what does it mean for the Middle East? And what role would India play? Listen to the conversation in our video below:

25 Feb 2026 - 17:00
 (17:00 GMT)

Israeli forces arrest 3 Palestinians; settlers attack town south of Hebron

The Israeli army has arrested three Palestinians south of Hebron after Israeli settlers attacked a village in the same area, the Wafa news agency reports.

Residents told Wafa that two men were arrested while herding sheep in Khirbet al-Kharaba and a third person was arrested in the Wadi al-Rakheem area of Masafer Yatta after he was chased by settlers trying to assault him.

The arrests came after dozens of armed settlers, protected by Israeli forces, raided the village of Raboud and performed prayers at one of the village’s archaeological sites.

25 Feb 2026 - 16:45
 (16:45 GMT)

If you’re just joining us

Let’s bring you up to speed on the latest developments:

  • Indian PM Modi has delivered a speech to the Israeli Knesset, hailing ties between the two countries and pledging “to further consolidate” the relationship.
  • Israel’s Netanyahu welcomed Modi as “a brother”, stressing that Israel and India share “common interests”.
  • The Communist Party of India has condemned Modi’s trip to Israel, noting that it comes as Israel is “waging a genocidal war in Gaza”.
  • Meanwhile, Israeli settlers have continued to attack Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, with an assault reported near Nablus in the north of the territory.
25 Feb 2026 - 16:30
 (16:30 GMT)

Israeli settlers attack Palestinian village near Nablus: Report

The Wafa news agency is reporting that settlers have attacked residents of Jalud, a village southeast of Nablus, in the north of the occupied West Bank.

Wafa said local residents confronted the settlers after they attacked the Wadi area of the village.

The attack comes as Israeli settler and military violence against Palestinians has surged across the West Bank in the shadow of Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza.

25 Feb 2026 - 16:19
 (16:19 GMT)
Houthi

Modi’s concludes Knesset address

  • Modi said India and Israel are “trusted partners” whose relations are “vital” for trade and security.
  • He said the two countries successfully signed a number of agreements, including the Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) last year.
  • “We are committed to further consolidating this relationship across many sectors,” he said.
  • India’s prime minister praised the “synergy” between the two countries on topics including artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum technology.
  • In ending his speech, Modi said, “Our partnership also contributes to global stability and prosperity. Let us ensure that our partnership remains a source of strength in an uncertain world.”
25 Feb 2026 - 16:17
 (16:17 GMT)
Explainer

What trade deal did India and Israel reach last year?

Modi has urged a deepening of trade ties between Israel and India during his Knesset speech.

Last year, the two countries signed an investment agreement during a visit to India by far-right Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.

At the time, Indian Minister of Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman said the agreement aimed to boost bilateral trade and investment flows, stressing the need for greater collaboration in “cybersecurity, defence, innovation and high-technology” in particular.

Israel-India trade stood at $3.9bn in 2024, but the bulk of that was in the domain of defence and security with New Delhi being Israel’s largest weapons buyer.

25 Feb 2026 - 16:00
 (16:00 GMT)
Houthi

Modi praises Israel for ‘Gaza peace initiative’

Modi says New Delhi has expressed “strong support” for the plan to end the war in Gaza approved by the UN Security Council in November.

“The Gaza peace initiative offers a pathway,” Modi told the Knesset. “We believe that it holds the promise of a just and durable peace for all the people of the region.”

“The road to peace is not always easy, but India joins you and the world for dialogue, peace and stability,” he added.

25 Feb 2026 - 15:58
 (15:58 GMT)

Modi says ‘nothing can justify terrorism’

“India stands with Israel firmly, with full conviction, in this moment and beyond,” the Indian prime minister says, drawing a standing ovation in the Knesset.

Condemning the “barbaric” October 7, 2023, attacks, Modi said: “No cause can justify the murder of civilians. Nothing can justify terrorism.”

He added that India “has also endured the pain of terrorism for a long time”.

“Like you, we have [a] consistent and uncompromising policy of zero tolerance for terrorism with no double standards. Terrorism aims to destabilise societies, to block development and to erode trust,” he said.

25 Feb 2026 - 15:49
 (15:49 GMT)
Houthi

Modi delivers message of ‘friendship, respect and partnership’ to Israel

India’s prime minister has been welcomed by members of Israel’s Knesset with loud rounds of applause and cheers.

Modi opened his speech by thanking Israel for granting him the “privilege and honour” of addressing its parliament and saying he brings a message of “friendship, respect and partnership”.