US president Donald Trump announced that Israel and Hamas had agreed to the ‘first phase’ of his plan to pause fighting and release some hostages and prisoners
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Full report: ‘First phase’ of ceasefire deal to end war in Gaza agreed by Israel and Hamas
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What we know so far about the ‘first phase’ of the Gaza ceasefire agreeement
United Nations secretary general António Guterres has welcomed the Israel-Hamas agreement, describing it as a “desperately needed breakthrough” and calling on all parties to “abide fully” by its terms
Guterres said in a post on X:
All hostages must be released in a dignified manner. A permanent ceasefire must be secured. The fighting must stop once and for all. Immediate and unimpeded entry of humanitarian supplies and essential commercial materials into Gaza must be ensured. The suffering must end.
I urge all stakeholders to seize this momentous opportunity to establish a credible political path forward towards ending the occupation, recognizing the right to self-determination of the Palestinian people, leading to a two-state solution to enable Israelis and Palestinians to live in peace and security.
The stakes have never been higher.