Gaza ceasefire agreement welcomed worldwide

KABUL (Pajhwok): The UN, Arab countries and others have welcomed ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel and stressed adherence to the terms of agreement.

The UN Secretary-General has welcomed Wednesday’s announcement of a deal to secure a ceasefire and hostage release in Gaza following 15 months of war.

Speaking to reporters at UN Headquarters, António Guterres commended mediators Egypt, Qatar and the United States for their dedicated efforts in brokering the agreement.

“Their unwavering commitment to finding a diplomatic solution has been critical in achieving this breakthrough,” he said.

Arab countries welcomed Wednesday’s announcement of a Gaza cease-fire deal between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas, the result of more than a year of intensive negotiations with Egyptian, Qatari, and US mediators.

“I welcome the cease-fire agreement in Gaza after over a year of strenuous efforts mediated by Egypt, Qatar and the US,” Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said on Facebook.

Jordan’s Foreign Ministry praised the efforts of Egypt, Qatar, and the US to reach the agreement, emphasizing the “need for full adherence to it.”

The statement quoted Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi as stressing the “need to launch an immediate international initiative to deliver sufficient and sustainable humanitarian aid to address the humanitarian disaster caused by the Israeli aggression on Gaza.”

Saudi Arabia also welcomed the news, stressing “the need for adherence to the agreement, the cessation of Israeli aggression on Gaza, the complete withdrawal of Israeli occupation forces from the (Gaza) Strip and all Palestinian and Arab territories, and the return of displaced people to their areas.”

The Saudi Foreign Ministry also stressed “the importance of building on this agreement to address the root cause of the conflict by enabling the Palestinian people to obtain their rights, foremost among them the establishment of their independent Palestinian state along the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.”

United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan also welcomed the deal.

He commended “the efforts made by Qatar, Egypt and the United States to achieve this agreement,” voicing hope that it “will pave the way to end suffering, prevent further loss of life, and put an end to the crisis and tragic conditions in the Gaza Strip.”

Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani confirmed the agreement, which is set to come into effect on Sunday.

He outlined the first phase, which will last for 42 days and include the release of 33 Israeli detainees in exchange for a number of Palestinian prisoners.

Asian nations welcomed a cease-fire agreement between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas, expressing relief while also calling for the parties to respect its terms.

The announcement comes on day 467 of Israel’s genocide against Gaza, which with US backing has killed and wounded more than 156,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children.

The war has left more than 11,000 people missing, with widespread destruction and a humanitarian crisis that has claimed the lives of many elderly people and children in one of the worst global humanitarian disasters ever.

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