Sana'a - Saba
A number of leaders and heads of state in the Arab region and the world have welcomed the ceasefire agreement in Gaza, stressing that it is a step towards ending the suffering of the Palestinian people after more than 15 months of continuous Zionist-American aggression on the Strip.
In this context, Speaker of the Arab Parliament Mohammed bin Ahmed al-Yamahi expressed his great welcome for the announcement of reaching a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip, considering this step an important development towards ending the war of extermination and military escalation that claimed the lives of thousands of innocents and caused severe human suffering for the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.
He called on all parties to fully adhere to the terms of the agreement, and to continue working on calming down to avoid any new escalation, stressing the need to respect international humanitarian laws, protect civilians and ensure the delivery of urgent humanitarian aid to those affected in the Gaza Strip.
Al-Yamahi also called on the international community, the Security Council, the countries of the free world, and international and regional parliaments to shoulder their responsibilities towards the Palestinian cause, and support Arab efforts to enable the Palestinian Authority to manage the Gaza Strip, contribute to the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, and provide the necessary humanitarian aid to those affected.
In turn, Egyptian President Abdulfattah El-Sisi has stressed the importance of accelerating the entry of urgent humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza.
El-Sisi said, via his official pages on social media "I welcome reaching an agreement to cease fire in the Gaza Strip after strenuous efforts over more than a year with Egyptian, Qatari, and American mediation."
He added "With this agreement, I emphasize the importance of accelerating the entry of urgent humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza, to confront the current catastrophic humanitarian situation, without any obstacles, until sustainable peace is achieved through the two-state solution, and for the region to enjoy stability, security, and development in a world that is large enough for everyone."
He stressed that Egypt will always remain faithful to its pledge, supporting just peace, a loyal partner in achieving it, and defending the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.
Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati also welcomed the announcement by Qatar, Egypt and the United States of America to reach a ceasefire agreement in Gaza.
Mikati said "This announcement ends a bloody page in the history of the Palestinian people who have suffered greatly as a result of the Israeli aggression, and we hope that the ceasefire will be sustainable and that Israel will abide by it, so that a final solution to the Palestinian issue can be found and the Palestinians will be given their legitimate rights."
For its part, the Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates welcomed the announcement of reaching a ceasefire agreement in Gaza.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Ayman Safadi stressed the need to launch an immediate international move to bring in sufficient and sustainable humanitarian aid to confront the humanitarian catastrophe caused by the Zionist aggression on Gaza, and the need to launch a real effort to rebuild Gaza and end the suffering of the brotherly Palestinian people.
Safadi stressed the need to join efforts to consolidate the ceasefire agreement and build on it to find real prospects for reaching a just and comprehensive solution that guarantees the embodiment of an independent, sovereign Palestinian state on the lines of June 4, 1967, with East al-Quds as its capital, based on the two-state solution.
Secretary-General of the United Nations Antonio Guterres has welcomed the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip between Israel and Hamas, stressing that the priority now must be to alleviate the enormous suffering resulting from this conflict.
He told reporters "The United Nations stands ready to support the implementation of this agreement and to intensify the delivery of sustainable humanitarian assistance to the countless numbers of Palestinians who continue to suffer."
President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen also welcomed the announcement of an agreement between Israel and Hamas to cease fire and release detainees, and urged both parties to fully implement the deal.
She said, in a post on X platform "Both parties would like to fully implement this agreement, as a starting point for lasting stability in the region and a diplomatic solution to the conflict."
For her part, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola said the announcement of a ceasefire in Gaza and the agreement to release the detainees is "the breakthrough that the world has been waiting for and that many have needed."
"It is imperative to maintain and adhere to this agreement. This could be a turning point towards sustainable peace, a flow of humanitarian aid, and a catalyst for turning despair into hope," Metsola added.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer stressed that the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip is long-awaited news, and that the focus should shift to humanitarian aid and ensuring a better long-term future in the region.
Starmer said "After months of devastating bloodshed and countless lives lost, this is the long-awaited news that the Zionists and Palestinians have been eagerly awaiting after bearing the brunt of this conflict."
In turn, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has said in a statement on X platform there is hope that the detainees will finally be released and that the deaths of martyrs in the Gaza Strip will end.
She added all those who bear responsibility must ensure that this opportunity is seized now.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz also stressed that reaching an agreement to cease fire and release hostages in Gaza, including Germans, is "good news."
Scholz said the next stage requires working to fully implement this agreement, including the release of all hostages and the delivery of the remains of the victims to their families for dignified burial.
He indicated that this agreement opens the door to the possibility of a permanent end to the conflict and improving the humanitarian situation in Gaza, and stressing Germany's commitment to continue working to achieve these goals.
The Belgian Prime Minister expressed his joy at reaching the ceasefire agreement, indicating that after many months of conflict, "we rejoice for the hostages, their families and the people of Gaza."
He said His country hopes that the ceasefire represents the beginning of a lasting peace.. considering this an important step towards ending the fighting.
The Belgian Prime Minister affirmed his country's readiness to provide support and assistance in the next stage to achieve peace and improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
President of the European Council Antonio Costa also welcomed the agreement reached on the ceasefire in Gaza and the exchange of prisoners and hostages, expressing his hope that this agreement will contribute to "ending the suffering of civilians" and help detainees reunite with their loved ones.
Costa wrote on his account on "X" platform "This agreement must allow immediate access to the necessary humanitarian aid and create the appropriate conditions for the recovery and reconstruction of Gaza."
Costa also affirmed the European Union's firm commitment to achieving a "comprehensive, just and lasting peace" based on the two-state solution.
The US State Department expressed its optimism after reaching a ceasefire agreement between "Israel" and Hamas, noting that the images coming from Gaza and Tel Aviv reflect "hope" after this step.
The US State Department stressed the importance of working to transform this agreement into a "sustainable peace".. The ministry also praised the coordination with the next administration, considering that the cooperation contributed greatly to reaching this agreement, which constitutes an important step towards ending the conflict.
US President-elect Donald Trump expressed his welcome to the ceasefire agreement in Gaza, as he wrote on the social media platform "Truth Social": "We have an agreement on prisoners in the Middle East and they will be released soon.. Thank you!".
US President Joe Biden also welcomed the ceasefire agreement in Gaza.. praising the efforts of cooperation with the Trump administration.
Biden stressed that his team's diplomatic efforts were ongoing without interruption, describing the negotiations as "among the most difficult" he had witnessed during his career.
For his part, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan described the agreement as "an important step for the stability of the region", stressing that Turkey will continue its efforts to reach a two-state solution for the Palestinian cause, and stressing the importance of achieving a just and lasting peace in the region.
The New Zealand Foreign Minister also welcomed the agreement, and praised the efforts of the participants in the negotiations, especially the United States, Qatar and Egypt, expressing his appreciation for their efforts to end "this misery". He called on the two parties to take serious steps towards a two-state solution to achieve lasting peace.
Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide stressed that the ceasefire in Gaza represents only the beginning of a long-term path towards stability and peace in the region. Barth Eide pointed out that this is "the right moment to delve into what happens next", warning that "a mere ceasefire can easily create a sense of emptiness and unfulfilled hope".
"The problems in Gaza will not end. The divisions will not end. The hatred will not end if there is only a ceasefire," he added.
The Norwegian minister stressed that the international community expects Israel to understand that the time has come to move forward and help resolve the long-standing Palestinian issue.
He also called on the Palestinian side to work effectively to build a strong government capable of uniting all Palestinian territories, making it an effective partner in the peace-building process.
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