Mediator Qatar announced that Israel and Hamas had reached an agreement to end the war in Gaza and exchange Israeli captives for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli prisons.
Qatar Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani announced the agreement in Doha on Wednesday. He specified that the ceasefire would come into force on Sunday January 19.
The deal will lead to the release of Israeli captives and Palestinian prisoners and an increase in humanitarian aid to Gaza, Sheikh Mohammed said.
At least 46,707 people in Gaza have been killed in Israel’s war on Gaza, according to Palestinian health authorities. Israel launched this devastating attack in response to the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, in which at least 1,139 people were killed, according to Israeli statistics, and around 250 others captured. .
Here are some key reactions from around the world to the news of a truce agreement:
US President Joe Biden
“The fighting in Gaza will stop and the hostages will soon return home to their families,” President Biden said at the White House.
US President-elect Donald Trump
“We have a deal for hostages in the Middle East. They will be released soon. Thank you!” Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social.
“With this agreement in place, my national security team, through the efforts of Special Envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff, will continue to work closely with Israel and our allies to ensure that Gaza NEVER becomes a haven for terrorists,” Trump said. said in a second post.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres
Guterres told reporters the UN stood ready to support the deal and “step up the delivery of sustained humanitarian assistance to the countless Palestinians who continue to suffer.”
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan
Fidan told reporters in Ankara that the ceasefire agreement was an important step for regional stability. He also said Turkish efforts for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict would continue.
The Prime Minister of Qatar, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani
The prime minister called for calm in the Gaza Strip by January 19, when the ceasefire agreement comes into effect.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi
In an article on X, el-Sisi welcomed the ceasefire agreement in Gaza and stressed the importance of rapid delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission
Von der Leyen “warmly” welcomed the news of the ceasefire agreement. She said that “the hostages will be reunited with their loved ones and humanitarian aid will be able to reach civilians in Gaza. It brings hope to an entire region, where people have endured immense suffering for far too long. Both sides must fully implement this agreement, as a springboard towards lasting stability in the region and a diplomatic resolution to the conflict.
Alexander De Croo, Belgian Prime Minister
De Croo said that “we feel immense relief for the hostages” after several months of conflict. “Hopefully this ceasefire will end the fighting and mark the start of lasting peace. Belgium is ready to help,” he said.
Annalena Baerbock, German Foreign Minister
Baerbock said that “in these hours there is hope that the hostages will finally be freed and that the deaths in Gaza will stop. All those who bear responsibilities must now ensure they seize this opportunity.”
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer
“After months of devastating bloodshed and countless lives lost, this is the long-awaited news that the Israeli and Palestinian people have been desperately waiting for,” Starmer said in an emailed statement.
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere
Gahr Stoere stressed the need to strengthen Palestinian institutions in order to “assume full control and responsibility, including in Gaza.” Israel and Palestine must benefit from credible security guarantees, and the solution must be regionally anchored,” he said.
