GAZA CITY: The international community on Wednesday welcomed the announcement of a four-day ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. The agreement, brokered by Qatar, offered a glimmer of hope for a respite for the innocent Palestinian civilians facing relentless Israeli airstrikes and ground offensives since October 7.
Russia, a significant player in global affairs, welcomed the humanitarian truce. Maria Zakharova, spokeswoman for Russia’s foreign ministry, stated in a Telegram post, “Moscow welcomes the agreement between Israel and Hamas on a four-day humanitarian pause.” The Kremlin said that the ceasefire is the “first good news for a long time” in the Israel-Palestinian conflict and emphasized the necessity of humanitarian pauses.
While welcoming the truce, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Jordan’s foreign ministers emphasized the need for an extension beyond the initial four days, calling for the agreement to pave the way for renewed discussions around a two-state solution.
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud underscored the importance of sustaining humanitarian aid, condemning any aggression against the civilian population of Gaza.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, based in the occupied West Bank, lauded the Qatari-Egyptian mediation effort, expressing appreciation for the humanitarian deal. He called for an extended truce with Israel and urged broader solutions based on international legitimacy to address the protracted Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Jordan expressed hope that the Gaza truce would mark a crucial step toward ending the war, preventing further targeting of Palestinians, and averting their displacement from their land. The Jordanian foreign ministry, in a statement on state media, emphasized the need for the four-day pause to facilitate much-needed humanitarian aid into the besieged enclave.
Qatar, the mediator behind the ceasefire deal, voiced optimism for the future. Majed al-Ansari, spokesperson for Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, highlighted the weeks of intense negotiations that led to the agreement. He expressed hope that the truce would serve as the first step toward de-escalation, paving the way for a long-term ceasefire and a comprehensive political process to bring an end to the decades-long conflict.
