European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called the return of the Israeli hostages “a moment of pure joy for their families,” and also ‘’a moment of relief for the whole world.”
In a statement on Monday, as 20 living Israeli hostages were released after more than two years in captivity in Gaza, she stressed that ‘’it means that a page can be turned and a new chapter can begin.’’
Von der Leyen said that ‘’Europe fully supports the peace plan brokered by the United States, Qatar, Egypt, and Türkiye.’’
‘’The finalisation of the agreement ending the war today in Sharm el-Sheikh will be a historical milestone,’’ she said, adding that ‘’we stand ready to contribute to its success with all tools at our disposal, in particular, by providing support on governance and for the reform of the Palestinian Authority.’’
‘’We will be an active force within the Palestinian Donors Group and we will provide EU funding for the reconstruction of Gaza,’’ the statement said.
The EU will be represented by European Council President Antonio Costa at the Sharm el-Sheikh summit.
EU foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas said on X the release of the hostages ‘’marks a rare moment of hope in the Middle East,’’ adding that it ‘’is a major success for diplomacy and a crucial milestone toward peace.’’
‘’President Trump made this breakthrough possible. Securing peace in Gaza will be extraordinarily complex,’’ Kallas added.