Israel Asks India To Tag Hamas As Terror Outfit

Israel has pressed India to officially label Hamas a terrorist group, arguing that growing cooperation between Hamas, Lashkar-e-Taiba and Iranian-backed outfits threatens both countries. Officials in Jerusalem linked the appeal to wider concerns over Iran’s proxy network, warning that the same ecosystem could affect Indian security at home and in nearby regions.

The push comes as Israel also urges India to reassess funds for United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, which receives $5 million from New Delhi for 2024-2025. Israeli officials state that Hamas is trying to regenerate its structure in Gaza while also using international operatives to plan attacks abroad.

Hamas India Israel Iran security concerns

A senior official from Israel's foreign ministry told reporters that New Delhi’s stance could shape decisions across South Asia. The official said, "Our request is that India must work hard to sanction and designate organisations such as Hamas as terrorist groups. Israel designated Lashkar-e-Taiba a few years ago. We would like to see a reciprocation of that from India."

Israel formally tagged Lashkar-e-Taiba as a terrorist organisation in 2023, shortly after the 7 October assault on Israel. Before that designation, officers from the Israeli Defence Forces had already called on India to ban Hamas, arguing that the two states "have a common enemy" and should clearly identify that common threat.

Hamas India Israel Iran proxy network

Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani, the IDF's International Spokesperson, said, "It will be a good thing if India designated Hamas as a terror group. India and Israel have a common enemy. It will be good to have a clear statement on who we face." That statement underlined military expectations from New Delhi.

Shoshani expanded on why a ban matters for India, saying, "It's not just about freezing assets or banning operatives from entering India. It signals that New Delhi clearly sees what Hamas is doing, and no operative should step on Indian soil," he added. Officials argue this would deter foreign networks from using India as a base.

Hamas India Israel Iran Lashkar-e-Taiba links

Another senior source highlighted the "growing links between Iranian and international terror proxy groups" and said Delhi understands this landscape. Israeli diplomats consider an Indian ban on Hamas important for shaping policies in neighbouring countries such as Bangladesh, Maldives and Nepal, where groups may monitor India’s choices on terror designations.

The same official claimed that ties between Hamas and Lashkar-e-Taiba are widening, alongside Iran’s reliance on international criminal syndicates. According to the official, "We are seeing significant links between Hamas and the Lashkar-e-Taiba. Hamas and Hezbollah are using international criminal proxies to operate terror attacks. We won't see an Iranian operative act in Europe. We are instead going to see an international proxy linked to an Iranian operative carry out attacks, as we've seen in London," the official said.

Hamas India Israel Iran UNRWA funding

Israeli representatives also asked India to halt contributions to UNRWA, the largest aid body in Gaza. They allege the agency has been infiltrated by Hamas and that its facilities face "widespread and systematic" misuse by armed elements. Despite this criticism, another senior official said Israel recognises India’s long-standing West Asia policy of dealing separately with different regional issues.

Key figures mentioned by officials can be grouped as follows.

Hamas India Israel Iran regional strategy

Israeli officials linked the India request to a wider warning about Iran’s unchanged regional behaviour after the June 12-day war between Iran and Israel and later United States strikes on nuclear sites. One official said, "We believed Iran's policy would shift after the 12-Day war. However, we now understand that there has been no shift and instead Tehran is doubling down and investing more into proxies such as Hamas, Hezbollah, etc," the official said.

The same official argued that measures by Washington are still too soft. According to the official, "Washington's maximum pressure campaign against Iran has to be much stronger than it is now. Just declaring sanctions or designations is a start, but it is not enough. We saw the previous Trump administration strongly enforce this, but we aren't seeing that yet this time."

Hamas India Israel Iran Africa influence

While stressing that Israel is not calling for regime change in Tehran, the official added a caveat, saying, "However, if regime change does take place due to economic reasons or otherwise, I don't think it would be a bad thing." Officials then shifted focus to Africa, which they now see as central to Iran’s plans.

One senior official explained that Iranian involvement in unstable African states is now a top worry. The official said, "One of Israel's biggest concerns now is the spilling of Iranian influence into the Horn of Africa. We are seeing more and more Iranian influence in countries facing instability, especially in Sudan," the senior official said. Tehran is seen as testing new routes there.

According to Israel’s foreign ministry, Iran treats Sudan as both a possible hub within its 'Axis of Resistance' and a forward area for Hamas activities. "We're already seeing the transfer of weapons in the region through militia groups," the official said. This, officials argue, could give Hamas and allied groups more access to Red Sea routes.

Sudan and Iran restored diplomatic relations in 2024 despite Sudan’s civil war, and reports from the past year suggest Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps supplies weapons, drones and intelligence to Sudanese Armed Forces. Israeli officials believe this support, combined with Sudan’s Red Sea coastline and waning Houthi activity after US and Israeli strikes, strengthens Iran’s ability to assist Hamas-linked networks that concern both Israel and India.