The agreement was fiercely negotiated by international mediators, Qatar, the United States and Egypt, and concluded a few days before Donald Trump’s return to the White House. According to the Prime Minister of Qatar, the truce will come into force on Sunday. Overview of the main reactions to this announcement.
Joe Biden
Joe Biden said to himself “ravi” Wednesday of the future release of hostages in Gaza, provided for by the agreement concluded between Israel and Hamas. The American president, who will leave the White House on Monday the day after the truce in Gaza came into force, said in a statement that this agreement was to be credited to a “tenacious and meticulous” American diplomatic campaign.
Donald Trump
President-elect Donald Trump, who takes office at the White House on Monday, took credit Wednesday for a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas and assured that he would not let the Gaza Strip “become a refuge for terrorists again”after several sources announced such an agreement.
Israel
Israeli President Isaac Herzog welcomed the agreement on a truce in Gaza, calling it “good choice” in order to bring back the hostages held in the small Palestinian territory. “As president of the State of Israel, I say very clearly: this is a good choice. It is an important choice. A necessary choice. There is no moral, human obligation , Jewish or Israeli greater than bringing our sons and daughters back among us”said Mr. Herzog in a televised speech.
Bezalel Smotrich, far-right Israeli Finance Minister, denounced “a bad and dangerous agreement for the security of the State of Israel”specifying that the ministers of his party will vote against the agreement which must be validated Thursday by the Israeli government. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said a statement would be “only after the final details have been finalized, which are being ironed out at the moment” (at 10:00 p.m. GMT Wednesday). The Prime Minister thanked Donald Trump and Joe Biden for their “aide” pour “the release of the hostages”.
Hamas
Hamas said the Gaza ceasefire agreement was the result of “tenacity” of the Palestinian people and the “valiant resistance” of the Islamist movement.“The ceasefire agreement is the product of the legendary tenacity of our Palestinian people and our valiant resistance in the Gaza Strip for more than 15 months”declared the movement in a press release, before adding that the agreement opened “the path to the realization of the aspirations of (its) people for liberation”. “We will not forget and we will not forgive”the suffering experienced by the Palestinians, underlined the main Hamas negotiator, Khalil al-Hayya.
Egypt
Egyptian President Abdelfattah al-Sissi welcomed the agreement, which he presented as the result of “more than a year of relentless Egyptian, Qatari and American mediation efforts”. In a press release, he stressed “the importance of accelerating the entry of emergency humanitarian aid to the population of Gaza to address the current catastrophic humanitarian situation.”
Jordan
The Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed the agreement and urged the international community to initiate a “immediate action to deliver aid” in the small Palestinian territory.
European Union
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen welcomed the truce agreement and urged both sides to “to fully implement it”. “This agreement brings hope to an entire region, where people have endured immense suffering for far too long,” she clapped on X.
“I welcome the ceasefire agreement and hostage agreement between Israel and Hamas, which will bring much-needed respite to those affected by this devastating conflict”said for her part the European Commissioner for the Mediterranean Dubravka Suica, on X.
France
Emmanuel Macron said Wednesday evening that the agreement must be “respected“and that one “political solution” had to “happen”. “After fifteen months of unjustifiable ordeal, immense relief for the Gazans, hope for the hostages and their families. This evening, my thoughts are with Ofer (Kalderon) and Ohad (Yahalomi)”the two Franco-Israelis detained by the Palestinian Islamist movement, declared the French president on X. “The agreement must be respected. The hostages, released. The Gazans, rescued. A political solution must come”he pleaded.
Germany
“This ceasefire opens the door to a permanent end to the war and an improvement in the precarious humanitarian situation in Gaza”German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on X, emphasizing that the agreement must now be “applied to the letter”.
“There is hope that the hostages will finally be released and that the deaths in Gaza will stop. All those in positions of responsibility must now ensure they seize this opportunity”German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said on social media.
United Kingdom
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the Gaza deal, “news that Israelis and Palestinians were desperately waiting for”only had “too late”. “They have borne the brunt of this conflict – sparked by the brutal Hamas terrorist attack”he noted in a press release, adding that we must now focus on building “a lastingly better future (…) thanks to a two-state solution”.
Italy
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said the agreement reached for a ceasefire and the release of hostages in Gaza was “excellent news”, et “an important step towards peace” “We must consolidate this ceasefire and move towards the next steps”he added in front of journalists.
Spain
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez welcomed the agreement, saying it “is crucial to achieving regional stability”. Il “represents an essential step on the path to a two-state solution and a just peace that respects international law”he wrote on X, adding that the agreement “should end the conflict, remedy the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza and release all hostages”.
Belgium
“After too long months of conflict, we feel immense relief for the hostages, for their families and for the population of Gaza”said the Belgian Prime Minister, Alexander de Croo, in a message on X. “Let us hope that this ceasefire will put an end to the fighting and mark the beginning of a lasting peace. Belgium is ready to contribute to this.”
Canada
“Canada welcomes the announcement of a ceasefire agreement in Gaza, and we will support all efforts aimed at its implementation. We call on the parties to act immediately. All hostages must be released. This violence and This horrible suffering must end.”wrote Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on X. “The humanitarian aid that is so crucial, such as medicine, water and food, will be able to reach the people who need it so much in Gaza,” he added during a press conference.
Türkiye
“We hope that this agreement will be beneficial for our region and for all humanity, especially our Palestinian brothers, and will pave the way for lasting peace and stability,” wrote Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on X.
Irak
Considering that the truce comes after “immense sacrifices and great suffering of the Palestinian people” in Gaza, the Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs underlines “the need to immediately allow the arrival of humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip and the Palestinian territories.”
Baghdad calls for “intensify international efforts for the reconstruction of areas affected by destruction during the aggression” Israeli, in order to “guarantee a return to normal life and an improvement in the living conditions of the population” of Gaza.
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia “Emphasizes the importance of sticking to the agreement and putting an end to Israeli aggression on Gaza, and the complete withdrawal of Israeli occupying forces from the Strip” of Gaza et de “all other Palestinian and Arab territories”according to a press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
HIM
The UN Secretary-General welcomed the truce agreement in Gaza, “crucial first step” which must absolutely enable the removal of obstacles to humanitarian aid in the Palestinian territory. “It is imperative that this ceasefire removes significant security and political obstacles to the delivery of humanitarian assistance through the Gaza Strip so that we can support a major increase in emergency humanitarian assistance.”Antonio Guterres told the press, stressing that the priority was to “alleviate the immense suffering caused by the conflict”.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk welcomed the agreement, saying it promised “a profound relief after so much unbearable pain and misery.” “I am extremely relieved by the announcement of the first phase of a ceasefire in Gaza, and now it is imperative that it holds”he said in a press release.
ICRC
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said it was ready to facilitate the release of hostages and prisoners and to “massively increase” its assistance to Gaza. “This nightmare has lasted too long. The suffering must end. The civilians of Gaza need protection and humanitarian aid. The hostages must return home.”declared its president Mirjana Spoljaric.
PAM
“A ceasefire is the beginning – not the end”declared in a video posted on X the executive director of the World Food Program (WFP), Cindy McCain. “We have food waiting at Gaza’s borders – and we need to be able to deliver it on a large scale. For this: we need all border crossings to be open and we can move food safely. security (…) to people in need across Gaza”she added. “Humanitarians must be protected.” “We need more humanitarian personnel allowed into Gaza. And we need urgent funding to quickly reach everyone in need”asked Ms. McCain.
OMS
“Peace is the best medicine”World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus wrote on “The health needs in Gaza are enormous.”
