Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday thanked his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi for rushing a five-tonne cargo of medicines, including anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine, seen as a possible cure for Covid-19.

"Thank you, my dear friend @narendramodi, PrimeMinister of India, for sending Chloroquine to Israel. All the citizens of Israel thank you!", Netanyahu said in a tweet Thursday evening.

The five-tonne shipment included ingredients for drugs chloroquineand hydroxychloroquine, being seen worldwide as the best possible cure as ofnow for treating Covid-19 patients.

The dreaded coronavirus has infected nearly 10,000 people inIsrael and claimed 86 lives. As many as 121 others are on ventilators inserious condition.

The Indian consignment reached Israel within days afterNetanyahu spoke to Modi on April 3, requesting supply of hydroxychloroquine,with India being the world's largest producer and exporter of the drug.

India, however, had to restrict its export to meet domesticcontingencies.

Netanyahu had been in touch with Modi ever since thecoronavirus crisis erupted. He had made a special request on March 13 askingthe Indian prime minister to approve and allow export of masks and pharmaceuticalsto Israel.

"I also spoke to the prime minister of India, my friendNarendra Modi. We are dependent on supply lines from various countries. We arelooking into it all the time," Netanyahu had then said addressing a pressconference

The Israeli leader spoke to Modi a second time on April 3 todiscuss various steps to deal with the coronavirus crisis.

Several countries have been experimenting withhydroxychloroquine to treat coronavirus symptoms. US President Donald Trumprecently touted its potential in treating Covid-19 positive patients,requesting India to help his country with supplies.

Experts, however, have urged caution until bigger trialsvalidate hydroxychloroquine's efficacy. Chloroquine can have potentiallyserious side effects, especially in high doses or when administered with othermedications.

Netanyahu's thanks to India followed soon after US PresidentDonald Trump described Modi as "terrific" for allowing the export ofhydroxychloroquine to the US, seen as a possible cure for Covid-19, sayingIndia's help in the extraordinary times "will not be forgotten".