Mediator Qatar announced that Israel and Hamas had reached an agreement to halt the war in Gaza and exchange Israeli prisoners of war for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli prisons.
Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani announced the agreement in Doha on Wednesday. He said the ceasefire would come into effect on Sunday, January 19.
Sheikh Mohammed said the agreement would lead to the release of Israeli and Palestinian prisoners of war and a surge in humanitarian aid to Gaza.
At least 46,707 people have died in the Israeli war in the Gaza Strip, according to the Palestinian Health Authority. Israel launched a devastating offensive in response to the Hamas-led offensive in southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which killed at least 1,139 people and took about 250 prisoners, according to Israeli statistics. was captured as.
Here are the main reactions around the world to the announcement of the ceasefire agreement:
joe biden us president
“The fighting in Gaza has stopped and the hostages will soon be returned to their families,” President Biden said at the White House.
He said the deal would give Palestinians a “credible path to a state of their own” and foreshadowed a “future of normalization” in the region with “the integration of all Arab neighbors, including Israel and Saudi Arabia.” I let it happen.
Donald Trump the next President of the United States
“There is an agreement regarding hostages in the Middle East. It will be released soon. Thank you!” Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social.
President Trump: “With this agreement in place, my national security team, through the efforts of Special Envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff, continues to work closely with Israel and our allies to ensure that Gaza never again becomes a safe haven for terrorists.” “I’m going,” he said in a second post.
Antonio Guterres, Secretary General of the United Nations
Guterres told reporters that the United Nations supports the agreement and stands ready to “scale up the provision of sustained humanitarian aid to the millions of 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 that Turkey’s efforts towards a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict will continue.
Prime Minister of Qatar Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani
The prime minister called for calm in the Gaza Strip from now until January 19, when the ceasefire agreement takes effect.
In a post on “We will continue our efforts,” he added. .
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi
In a post on X, El-Sissi welcomed the Gaza ceasefire agreement and stressed the importance of speedy delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Speaker of the Iranian Parliament
In a post on X, Ghalibaf said that “courageous Palestinian resistance” had prevented the “Zionist entity” from achieving its “strategic goals.” He said the world must “punish” the “criminal regime” and “heal the wounds of the Palestinian people.”
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia
The ministry called for a commitment to “end Israeli aggression in the Gaza Strip” and “complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip and all Palestinian and Arab lands.”
Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Al Nahyan stressed “the importance of both Israel and Hamas honoring their commitments to end the suffering of Palestinian prisoners of war and Israeli hostages.”
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan
The ministry issued a statement calling for the “immediate and full implementation” of the ceasefire agreement and expressing hope that this would lead to a permanent end to hostilities. “Israel’s expansionist plans are destabilizing the entire region,” the paper said.
Yemeni Houthi spokesman Mohamed Abdulsalam
“We salute Gaza’s legendary and historic resilience in the face of Israel’s fiercest attacks on the oppressed Palestinian people,” Abdulsalam said. “With its continued occupation of Palestine,[Israel]poses a threat to regional security and stability.”
South Africa
South Africa called for a “just and lasting peace that ensures that the human rights of both Palestinians and Israelis are protected and promoted” following “15 months of Israeli onslaught of massacres in Gaza” .
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission
Prime Minister von der Leyen welcomed the news of the ceasefire agreement “warmly”. She said: “Hostages will be reunited with their loved ones and humanitarian aid will reach civilians in Gaza.” This brings hope to the entire region, where people have endured untold suffering for far too long. Both parties must fully implement this agreement as a stepping stone towards lasting stability in the region and a diplomatic solution to the conflict. ”
Alexander de Croo, Prime Minister of Belgium
“We feel a great sense of relief for the hostages” after months of conflict, Decroo said. “Let us hope that this ceasefire will put an end to the fighting and be the beginning of a lasting peace. Belgium stands ready to help.”
German Foreign Minister Annalena Verbock
“There is hope in the last few hours that the hostages will finally be freed and that there will be an end to the death toll in Gaza. All those responsible need to ensure that they seize this opportunity now,” Burbock said. there is.”
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer
“After months of devastating bloodshed and countless lives lost, this is the news that the Israeli and Palestinian people have been waiting for for years,” Starmer said in an emailed statement.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez
“This agreement is critical to achieving stability in the region. It is an essential step on the path to a two-state solution and a just peace that respects international law.”
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gare Stoere
Gar Stoere argued for the need to strengthen Palestinian institutions “to take full control and responsibility, including in Gaza.”
“Both Israel and Palestine must receive reliable security, and solutions must be rooted in the region,” he said.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese
Albanese said the deal marks “the beginning of a new chapter for the Israeli and Palestinian peoples,” giving the latter “an opportunity to rebuild” and “to make much-needed governance reforms and pursue self-determination.” He said he was looking forward to it.
He stressed that “Hamas should have no role in the future governance of Gaza.”
Mirjana Sporjaric, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross
“We welcome the agreement, but it is not the end,” Sporjaric said. “Civilian lives must be protected and their needs prioritized. The next few days are critical and we expect the parties to keep their commitments.”
