Paris, France—World leaders on Thursday welcomed the announcement of a ceasefire and hostage-release deal between Israel and Hamas, which could help end the two-year war in Gaza.
Palestinian Authority
Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas said he hoped that the deal “would be a prelude to reaching a permanent political solution”, leading to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.
United Nations
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres called for all hostages to be released “in a dignified manner” and for a permanent ceasefire to be secured.
“The fighting must stop once and for all,” he said, urging the immediate, unimpeded entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza.
The head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, called the announcement “a huge relief”, and said that it was ready to flood Gaza with desperately needed food and medicine.
The agency had enough food stocks to feed the whole of Gaza for three months, he added.
World Health Organization
Director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreysus said the WHO “stands ready to scale up its work to meet the dire health needs of patients across Gaza, and to support rehabilitation of the destroyed health system.”
“The best medicine is peace,” he said.
Egypt
Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi hailed the announcement as an “historic moment” that “does not only close the chapter of war.”
“It also opens the door of hope for the peoples of the region for a future defined by justice and stability,” he said.
UAE
The United Arab Emirates, one of the original backers of the deal, said it hoped the agreement would be a “positive step towards ending the humanitarian suffering in the Gaza Strip.”
A foreign ministry statement also said it hoped it would lead to “a just and lasting settlement that guarantees the rights of the Palestinian people and restores security and stability to the region.”
Jordan and Saudi Arabia
In Amman, Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi also pledged help delivering aid to Gaza as soon as possible and with rebuilding, as part of moves towards an “irreversible path to a just peace on the basis of the two-state solution.”
Riyadh said it hoped the deal would “lead to urgent action to alleviate the humanitarian suffering.”
Turkey
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan singled out his US counterpart Donald Trump for praise, thanking him for demonstrating “the necessary political will to encourage the Israeli government toward the ceasefire.”
European Union
European leaders in Brussels, as well as in Italy, Germany and France called the announcement an opportunity for lasting peace.
Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, one of Europe’s most vocal critics of Israel’s offensive in Gaza, said the civilian population should now be supported and “the atrocities experienced… never repeated.”
Ireland, which has also strongly criticised Israel’s military response, said the deal, “if grasped by all, can finally end the unconscionable human suffering.”
UK
Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the deal a “crucial first step” and said it “must now be implemented in full, without delay”, accompanied by a lifting of restrictions on aid to Gaza.
Ukraine
President Volodymyr Zelensky said a deal was important for everyone. “If violence and war are halted in one part of the world, global security increases for all,” he said.
Russia and China
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia hoped the deal will be signed off and implemented, while Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said China hoped for a “permanent and comprehensive” ceasefire as soon as possible.
“China advocates adhering to the principle that ‘Palestinians should govern Palestine,'” he added.
