Mediator Qatar has announced that Israel and Hamas have reached an agreement to halt the war in Gaza and exchange Israeli captives for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails.
Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani announced the agreement in Doha on Wednesday. He said the ceasefire would take effect on Sunday, January 19.
The deal will lead to the release of Israeli captives and Palestinian prisoners and a surge in humanitarian aid to Gaza, Sheikh Mohammed said.
At least 46,707 people in Gaza have been killed in Israel’s war on Gaza, according to Palestinian health authorities. Israel launched the devastating assault in response to the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, in which at least 1,139 people were killed, according to Israeli statistics, and approximately 250 others seized as captives.
Here are some key reactions from around the world to the announcement of a truce agreement:
US President Joe Biden
“Fighting in Gaza will stop, and soon the hostages return home to their families,” President Biden said at the White House.
US President-elect Donald Trump
“We have a deal for the hostages in the Middle East. They will be released shortly. Thank you!” Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social.
“With this deal in place, my National Security team, through the efforts of Special Envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, will continue to work closely with Israel and our Allies to make sure Gaza NEVER again becomes a terrorist safe haven,” Trump said in a second post.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres
Guterres told reporters that the UN was ready to back the deal and “scale up the delivery of sustained humanitarian relief to the countless Palestinians who continue to suffer”.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan
Fidan told reporters in Ankara the ceasefire deal was an important step for regional stability. He also said that Turkish efforts for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict would continue.
Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani
The prime minister called for calm in the Gaza Strip between now and 19 January, when the ceasefire deal takes effect.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi
In a post on X, el-Sisi welcomed the Gaza ceasefire deal and stressed the importance of a fast delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission
Von der Leyen “warmly” welcomed news of the ceasefire agreement. She said that “hostages will be reunited with their loved ones and humanitarian aid can reach civilians in Gaza. This brings hope to an entire region, where people have endured immense suffering for far too long. Both parties must fully implement this agreement, as a stepping stone toward lasting stability in the region and a diplomatic resolution of the conflict.”
Alexander De Croo, Belgium’s prime minister
De Croo said that “we feel tremendous relief for the hostages” after many months of conflict. “Let’s hope this ceasefire will put an end to the fighting and mark the beginning of a sustained peace. Belgium stands ready to help,” he said.
German Foreign Secretary Annalena Baerbock
Baerbock said that “in these hours there is hope that the hostages will finally be released and the deaths in Gaza will come to an end. Everyone who bears responsibility should now ensure that this opportunity is seized.”
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer
“After months of devastating bloodshed and countless lives lost, this is the long-overdue news that the Israeli and Palestinian people have desperately been waiting for,” Starmer said in an emailed statement.
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere
Gahr Stoere insisted on the need to strengthen Palestinian institutions in order to “assume full control and responsibility, including in Gaza. Both Israel and Palestine must receive credible security guarantees, and the solution must be anchored regionally,” he said.
