Israel has appealed to India to declare Hamas as a terrorist organization. Citing the ban on Lashkar-e-Taiba, he has expressed hope of similar action from India. This step will have a big impact in the region.
Tel Aviv (Israel): Israel has appealed to India to declare organizations working against it, including Hamas, as terrorist groups. Israeli officials say that this step of New Delhi will have a huge impact in the region. Israel pointed out that it has already imposed sanctions on Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and expects similar action in return from India. A senior Israeli Foreign Ministry official said the Indian government understands the “networks and relationships” associated with these groups.
The official said, “Our request to India is to work towards banning these organizations and declaring them a terrorist group. Israel designated Lashkar-e-Taiba as a terrorist organization a few years ago, and we would like India to do the same. There are deep ties between Hamas and Lashkar-e-Taiba. Iran’s IRGC, Hamas and Hezbollah are increasingly relying on transnational criminal networks to carry out attacks around the world.
The official said, “You will not see any Iranian agents operating directly in Europe. What you will see is that a criminal group – a drug mafia, a human smuggler or some other network – is linked to an Iranian handler who then carries out an attack, as we have seen in Scandinavia or London. Even just an announcement by India will have a strong impact around the world. Neighboring countries like Bangladesh, Pakistan and Maldives look to India and New Delhi’s stance would shape regional reactions. Is.
The official said, “This is not just about freezing assets or barring operatives from coming to India. This signals that India has clearly seen what Hamas is doing, and no operatives should set foot on Indian soil. We are putting pressure on India to declare Hamas as a terrorist organization… After declaring Lashkar-e-Taiba as a terrorist organization, we would like that to happen.” He also pointed to clear efforts, saying, “It is necessary to eliminate Hamas in the next phase of the ceasefire proposed by America.
Speaking to reporters in Tel Aviv on 1 December, IDF international spokesman Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani said, “If India does it, it would be a good thing. India and Israel have the same enemy. It would be good to have a clear statement on who we face.” Hamas, which began as an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood in 1987, is recognized as a terrorist organization by the US, Britain, Canada and several other countries. India condemned the October 7, 2023 attacks, but has not formally listed Hamas as a terrorist organization under domestic law.