Macron, von der Leyen welcome Gaza ceasefire and hostage-release deal, urge all parties to uphold terms and pursue two-state peace solution

Paris [France], October 9 (ANI): French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Thursday welcomed the agreement reached overnight for a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages, commending the diplomatic efforts that made the breakthrough possible.

In a post on X, Macron said, "Great hope for the hostages and their families, for the Palestinians in Gaza, and for the entire region. I welcome the agreement reached overnight for the release of the hostages and the ceasefire in Gaza, and I commend the efforts of President @realDonaldTrump, as well as the Qatari, Egyptian, and Turkish mediators who helped make it happen."

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Calling for full compliance with the agreement, he added, "I call on all parties to strictly uphold its terms. This agreement must mark the end of the war and the beginning of a political solution based on the two-state solution."

Macron further underlined France's commitment to peace and reconstruction efforts, stating, "France stands ready to contribute to this goal. We will discuss it this afternoon in Paris with our international partners."

Echoing similar sentiments, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also hailed the agreement, noting that it reflected broad international collaboration to end hostilities in Gaza.

She said, "I welcome the announcement of an agreement to secure a ceasefire and the release of hostages in Gaza, based on the proposal put forward by @POTUS. I commend the diplomatic efforts of the United States, Qatar, Egypt, and Turkiye in achieving this breakthrough."

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Von der Leyen acknowledged the role of regional actors, adding, "Am also encouraged by the support of the Government of Israel and the Palestinian Authority. Now, all parties must fully uphold the terms of the agreement. All hostages must be released safely. A permanent ceasefire must be established. The suffering must end."

Reaffirming the EU's commitment to humanitarian efforts, she continued, "The EU will continue to support the swift and safe delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza. And when the time comes, we will be ready to help with recovery and reconstruction."

She concluded by stressing the importance of transforming the current opportunity into a lasting peace framework, saying, "Today's opportunity should be seized. It's the opportunity to forge a credible political path toward lasting peace and security. A path firmly anchored in the two-state solution."

Following the international response, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also welcomed the agreement on the first phase of President Donald Trump's peace plan, highlighting the leadership of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The Prime Minister said this development reflects the strong leadership of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He expressed hope that the release of hostages and enhanced humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza will bring much-needed respite and pave the way for lasting peace in the region.

"We welcome the agreement on the first phase of President Trump's peace plan. This is also a reflection of the strong leadership of PM Netanyahu. We hope the release of hostages and enhanced humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza will bring respite to them and pave the way for lasting peace."

On Thursday, Israel's Ambassador to India, Reuven Azar, appreciated India's support for the deal.

In a post on X, he said, "Thankful for the efforts of the Israeli delegation and all involved in reaching the agreement that will release all our hostages. Special thanks to POTUS Trump. May we see peace restored soon, free from terror threats. Appreciate India's support all along!"

Earlier, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres also welcomed the announcement of the agreement to secure a ceasefire and hostage release in Gaza, based on the proposal put forward by US President Donald Trump. He lauded the diplomatic efforts of the United States, Qatar, Egypt, and Turkiye in brokering the deal and urged all concerned parties to abide fully by the terms of the agreement.

Adding further confirmation of progress, Qatar's Prime Minister and official Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Majed Al Ansari, said on Thursday that an agreement was reached on all the provisions and implementation mechanisms of the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement.

Ansari said that the deal covered the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners.

In a post on X, he wrote, "The mediators announce that tonight an agreement was reached on all the provisions and implementation mechanisms of the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, which will lead to ending the war, the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, and the entry of aid. The details will be announced later."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also hailed what he called "a great day for Israel," saying he will "convene the government tomorrow [Thursday] to approve the agreement and bring all our precious kidnapped people home."

He thanked the Israeli military and security forces, as well as US President Donald Trump and his team, "for their commitment to this sacred mission of freeing our kidnapped people."

Meanwhile, Hamas released its first public statement since US President Trump announced that the Palestinian group and Israel had "signed off on the first Phase of our Peace Plan."

In a post on Telegram, Hamas announced the "conclusion of an agreement stipulating an end to the war on Gaza, the occupation's withdrawal from it, the entry of aid, and a prisoner exchange," as per Al Jazeera.

The statement called on the US leader, Arab mediators and international parties to "compel the occupation government [Israel] to fully implement the agreement's requirements and not allow it to evade or delay the implementation of what has been agreed upon."

The group concluded by saying it will remain "faithful to our pledge and will not abandon our people's national rights, including freedom, independence, and self-determination," Al Jazeera reported. (ANI)

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