ISTANBUL: Arab countries welcomed a deal Wednesday (Jan 15) on a ceasefire in Gaza between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas which was reached after more than a year of intensive negotiations with Egyptian, Qatari and US mediators, Anadolu Agency (AA) reported.
"I welcome the ceasefire agreement in Gaza after over a year of strenuous efforts mediated by Egypt, Qatar and the US,” Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said on Facebook.
He emphasised the urgent need to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza.
"This agreement highlights the importance of quickly providing critical aid to the people of Gaza to address the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe, without any obstacles, until a sustainable peace is achieved through a two-state solution,” he said.
Sisi reaffirmed Egypt’s commitment to supporting a just peace, remaining a steadfast partner in achieving it and defending the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.
In a statement, the Jordanian Foreign Ministry appreciated the efforts made by Egypt, Qatar and the US to reach the agreement, reitirating the "need for full adherence to it."
The statement quoted Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi as stressing the "necessity of launching an immediate international initiative to deliver sufficient and sustainable humanitarian aid to address the humanitarian disaster caused by the Israeli aggression on Gaza."
It highlighted that Jordan, "under the guidance and follow-up of King Abdullah II, will continue providing humanitarian aid to Gaza and supporting the Palestinian people in their pursuit of their full legitimate rights to achieve a just peace."
Lebanese Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati also welcomed the announcement by Qatar, Egypt and the US on the agreement to establish a cease-fire in Gaza.
"This announcement closes a bloody chapter in the history of the Palestinian people, who have suffered greatly due to Israeli aggression,” said Mikati, hoping that the ceasefire "will be sustainable and that Israel will adhere to it, paving the way for a final resolution to the Palestinian issue and granting Palestinians their legitimate rights.”
Saudi Arabia also welcomed the announcement, noting "the need for adherence to the agreement, the cessation of Israeli aggression on Gaza, the complete withdrawal of Israeli occupation forces from the (Gaza) Strip and all Palestinian and Arab territories, and the return of displaced people to their areas.”
The Saudi Foreign Ministry also stressed "the importance of building on this agreement to address the root cause of the conflict by enabling the Palestinian people to obtain their rights, foremost among them the establishment of their independent Palestinian state along the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.”
Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani confirmed the agreement at a news conference in Doha, which will begin Sunday.
He outlined the first phase, which will last for 42 days and include the release of 33 Israeli detainees in exchange for several Palestinian prisoners.
The announcement comes on day 467 of Israel's genocide against Gaza, which with US backing has caused more than 156,000 casualties, most of them women and children.
The war has left more than 11,000 people missing, with widespread destruction and a humanitarian crisis that has claimed the lives of many elderly people and children in one of the worst global humanitarian disasters in recent times. - Bernama-AA
