New Delhi [India], February 11: In light of Hamas’ recent announcement to delay the next release of Israeli hostages planned for Saturday, Nir Barkat, Minister of Economy of Israel, strongly condemned the group as a “terrorist organization” and reiterated their objective to destroy Israel. Barkat further emphasized the critical need to ensure that Gaza does not remain under Hamas’ control, highlighting the threat they pose not only to Israel but to all non-Muslims globally.
Speaking to reporters at the India-Israel Business Forum event in New Delhi, Barkat stated, “Hamas is a terror organization, the jihadists. Their goal is destruction of the state of Israel and the jihadists, by the way, are not only considering Jews and Israel. We are all on the same line. All non-Muslims are their target and Israel has no choice but to make sure Hamas does not stay and govern Gaza because they want to do October 7 again and again and again.”
Barkat also drew attention to the fact that 76 hostages remain in captivity, underscoring Israel’s determination to bring them back home. He added, “We have to make sure that Hamas does not survive after this war for the benefit not only of the future Israelis but for the benefit of the world.”
During his visit to India, Barkat discussed the promising business opportunities between India and Israel. He noted that geopolitical ties make Israel closely aligned with the United States, but also deeply connected to India. “I see India scaling very rapidly to become a very dominant global player. Israel, though small, is very innovative… I am leading the biggest-ever delegation from Israel to any country in the world… I am very optimistic that we will be able to find the solution and scale the economies, making the lives of Indians and Israelis much better,” Barkat shared with the press.
Reuven Azar, Israel’s Ambassador to India, also praised the resilience of Israeli business leaders amidst the ongoing conflict. He acknowledged their efforts in supporting Israel’s war effort while maintaining the country’s economic growth. Azar expressed his gratitude for their participation in the event and said, “The Israeli business leaders came here today, they came here energized, they came after sixteen months in which they directly and indirectly supported the war effort while at the same time, keeping the economy of Israel growing despite the war.”
Avi Balashnikov, Chairman of the Board of the Israel Export Institute, called the visit of the Israeli business delegation to India “historic and unique.” He explained, “This is the largest and the biggest businessmen delegation from Israel to India led by the Minister of Economy and Industry. It’s tremendous, it’s unique, and we are waiting now that soon, a huge delegation from India will come to visit Israel again, and we hope that the Minister of Economy here in India will lead this delegation.”
The event, which was organized in collaboration with the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), the Ministry of Commerce & Industry of India, and the Embassy of Israel, also included discussions on the growing bilateral cooperation between the two countries. Israeli enterprises from sectors such as technology, manufacturing, healthcare, agri-tech, food processing, defense, homeland security, water management, logistics, and retail participated in the forum, showcasing the diverse opportunities for collaboration.
- Nir Barkat – Minister of Economy of Israel, called Hamas a “terrorist organization” and emphasized the importance of ensuring Gaza does not remain under Hamas’ control. He also discussed Israel’s determination to bring back hostages and strengthen ties with India.
- Reuven Azar – Israel’s Ambassador to India, praised Israeli business leaders for their resilience during the ongoing conflict and highlighted the economic cooperation between Israel and India.
- Avi Balashnikov – Chairman of the Board of Israel Export Institute, described the Israeli business delegation’s visit to India as historic and unique, reflecting the strengthening cooperation between the two countries.
- Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) – Partnered in organizing the India-Israel Business Forum to foster growing bilateral trade relations.
- Israeli Business Delegation – Led by Nir Barkat, the delegation included representatives from sectors like high-tech, agriculture, healthcare, and defense, reflecting the broad scope of collaboration between India and Israel.