Leaders around the world have welcomed the news that Israel and Hamas have reached a ceasefire deal after 15 months of bloodshed in Gaza and urged both sides to seize the moment to bring an end to the conflict and to the accompanying humanitarian crisis.
The UN secretary general, António Guterres, said that member states stood ready to support the implementation of the deal and “scale up the delivery of sustained humanitarian relief to the countless Palestinians who continue to suffer”.
The US president, Joe Biden, said the Palestinian people had “gone through hell”, adding: “Too many innocent people have died. Too many communities have been destroyed. Under this deal, the people of Gaza can finally recover and rebuild.”
Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, said the agreement would reunite hostages with their loved ones and allow humanitarian aid into Gaza.
“This brings hope to an entire region, where people have endured immense suffering for far too long,” she said. “Both parties must fully implement this agreement, as a stepping stone toward lasting stability in the region and a diplomatic resolution of the conflict.”
Germany’s chancellor, Olaf Scholz, expressed hope that the deal would “[open] the door to a permanent end to the war and to the improvement of the poor humanitarian situation in Gaza”. He said the agreement needed to be “implemented to the letter” and all the hostages released.
The UK prime minister, Keir Starmer, described the deal as “the long-overdue news that the Israeli and Palestinian people have desperately been waiting for”. Once humanitarian aid had reached those in need in Gaza, Starmer added, “our attention must turn to how we secure a permanently better future for the Israeli and Palestinian people – grounded in a two-state solution that will guarantee security and stability for Israel, alongside a sovereign and viable Palestine state”.
Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, the president of Egypt, which has played a pivotal role in the negotiations, hailed the strenuous efforts made by his country, saying it would “always remain faithful to its covenant, a supporter of just peace, a loyal partner in achieving it, and a defender of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people”.
Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who has been has been a vocal critic of Israel’s actions in Gaza, said: “We respectfully salute the heroic people and brave sons of Gaza who courageously defended their land and freedom against Israel’s unlawful and inhumane attacks.”
Spain’s socialist prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, who has been one of the most outspoken European critics of Israel’s prosecution of the war in Gaza, welcomed the news, saying: “It must bring an end to the conflict, allow the terrible humanitarian situation in Gaza to be dealt with, and lead to the release of all the hostages.”
Sánchez also expressed the hope that the ceasefire could be “an indispensable step on the path toward the two-state solution and towards a just peace that respects international law”.
Belgium’s prime minister, Alexander de Croo – who had also criticised Israel’s conduct in the conflict – said: “We feel tremendous relief for the hostages, for their families and for the people of Gaza. Let’s hope this ceasefire will put an end to the fighting and mark the beginning of a sustained peace.”
The Norwegian prime minister, Jonas Gahr Støre, called for Palestinian institutions to be strengthened so that they could “assume full control and responsibility, including in Gaza”. He also urged “credible security guarantees” for both Israel and Palestine, and said the solution needed to be anchored regionally.
Simon Harris, the taoiseach of Ireland – which joined Spain and Norway in officially recognising a Palestinian state in May last year – said the news was “welcome after 15 months of immense human suffering and destruction”.
He added: “I hope that all sides will seize this opportunity and that the international community plays its part too, surging aid into Gaza, supporting a renewed Palestinian Authority to bring stability and governance to Gaza, and working to put a process in place that can lead to peace.”
The office of Italy’s prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, hailed “an important opportunity to substantially increase humanitarian assistance to the civilian population of Gaza”.
It said Italy was ready to work with its European and international partners to stabilise and reconstruct Gaza “with a view to relaunching a political process towards a just and lasting peace in the Middle East, based on the two-state solution, with Israel and a state of Palestine living side by side in peace and security, within mutually recognised borders”.
Agence France-Presse and Reuters contributed to this report
