World leaders welcome Israel-Hamas truce deal, hope 'full pause' in fighting
GAZA, Palestine (AFP) - World leaders welcomed a humanitarian truce agreement between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, hoping 'full pause' in fighting continuing since October 7.
Palestine for comprehensive cessation Israeli aggression
"Palestine President Mahmud Abbas and the leadership welcome the humanitarian truce agreement, value the Qatari-Egyptian effort made and reaffirm the call for a comprehensive cessation of the Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people and the entry of humanitarian aid," senior official Hussein al-Sheikh
US hopes Gaza truce brings 'full pause' in clashes
President Joe Biden's administration hopes that a truce in Gaza will lead to a "full pause" in fighting along the Israel-Lebanon border, a senior US official said late Tuesday.
"We also hope that this (agreed four-day truce between Israel and Hamas) will lead to a full pause in some of the hostilities in the north, on the Lebanese border," the US official said on condition of anonymity.
Egypt's Sisi hails Gaza truce
Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi hailed the success of the mediation it conducted alongside Qatar and the United States in brokering a "humanitarian truce" in the Gaza Strip.
Sisi also welcomed the planned "exchange of hostages for prisoners" held in Israeli jails, his office said.
Crucial step
British Foreign Secretary David Cameron called the deal a "a crucial step towards providing relief to the families of the hostages and addressing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza."
Vital aid
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said the "breakthrough" agreement "must be used to bring vital aid to people in Gaza."
China hails truce deal
China welcomed a truce deal between Israel and Hamas, after they reached an agreement on a four-day humanitarian pause in exchange for the release of 50 hostages in Gaza. "We welcome the temporary ceasefire agreement reached by relevant parties," foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told a regular briefing.
Beijing hopes "that it will help ease the plight of the humanitarian crisis, de-escalate the conflict and ease tensions", Mao said.
"Since the outbreak of the current round of Palestinian-Israeli conflict, China has always called for a ceasefire and made unremitting efforts to cool down the situation, protect civilians and carry out humanitarian assistance," she added.
China has historically been sympathetic to the Palestinians and supportive of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. On Tuesday, President Xi Jinping called for an "immediate" ceasefire and for the release of civilian detainees. He called for an "international peace conference" to resolve the conflict.
First good news from Gaza: Kremlin
The Kremlin hailed a truce deal between Israel and Hamas as "the first good news from Gaza in a very long time".
"Russia and most countries in the world have been calling for a ceasefire and for a humanitarian pause. Because it is only on the basis of these kinds of pauses that some outlines of future attempts at a sustainable settlement can be built," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
