“It is now time to deliver this agreement for all hostages and their families, the people of Gaza, and the people of the region,” said the E.U. foreign policy chief.
By JNS staff
The European Union and the United Kingdom welcomed the ceasefire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas on Wednesday.
“This is a major, positive breakthrough towards ending the violence,” stated Kaja Kallas, the E.U. high representative for foreign affairs and security policy.
“It is now time to deliver this agreement for all hostages and their families, the people of Gaza and the people of the region,” Kallas added.
Kallas met with relatives of hostages held in Gaza on Wednesday who told the top Brussels diplomat that a deal “will only launch a process which needs to be monitored and kept moving forward from one phase to the next until all hostages are back home,” per her office.
Keir Starmer, the U.K. prime minister, paid tribute to “those who won’t make it home—including the British people who were murdered by Hamas.”
“We will continue to mourn and remember them,” he said. “For the innocent Palestinians, whose homes turned into a warzone overnight and the many who have lost their lives, this ceasefire must allow for a huge surge in humanitarian aid, which is so desperately needed to end the suffering in Gaza.”
London and its allies “will continue to be at the forefront of these crucial efforts to break the cycle of violence and secure long-term peace in the Middle East,” he added.
The German Federal Foreign Office stated that “in these hours, there is hope that the hostages will finally be released and that the deaths in Gaza will come to an end. All those who bear responsibility should now ensure that this opportunity is seized.”
Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp welcomed the “positive news about a ceasefire in Gaza.”
“It is now crucial that the deal holds and that hostilities end, allowing Israeli hostages to return home safely and ensuring that the people of Gaza receive the humanitarian aid they so urgently need,” The Hague’s top diplomat stated.
Veldkamp praised the United States, Egypt and Qatar for their mediation efforts. “Let this be a first step towards durable and lasting peace,” he added.
“This is an incredibly significant moment,” tweeted Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides. The island’s leader emphasized that “preserving this deal is paramount for regional stability and security.”
Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braže commended the “long awaited” deal, stressing that “swift implementation by all parties is critical.”
“Relief. Peace. Hope,” stated Tanja Fajon, Slovenia’s foreign minister. “Finally the end of immense suffering and unimaginable death toll.” She expressed hope the deal would “pave the way” for a Palestinian state.
Estonia also expressed its desire for the deal to “pave the way to the release of all the hostages, delivering critical humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza and reaching a lasting peace in the region.”
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that Israel and Hamas had agreed to a ceasefire and hostage release deal.
“This epic ceasefire agreement could have only happened as a result of our historic victory in November, as it signaled to the entire world that my administration would seek peace and negotiate deals to ensure the safety of all Americans and our allies,” Trump stated.
An Israeli source told the country’s Channel 12 News that the terrorist organization committed to the deal in writing, and Al Jazeera reported that a Hamas delegation, led by senior official Khalil al-Hayya, delivered the formal approval to mediators in Qatar and Egypt.
Preparations are reportedly underway in Jerusalem to convene the Security Cabinet, which consists of senior ministers, and the full government to approve the agreement on Thursday at 11 a.m.