Cairo: EgyPulse – News Desk
Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty received congratulatory calls from foreign ministers from Arab, Islamic, African, European and Asian countries after Israel and Hamas reached an agreement to halt the war under US President Donald Trump’s peace plan. During the calls, the foreign ministers voiced their full appreciation for Egypt’s wise and responsible leadership in facilitating negotiations that led to this historic agreement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on Thursday.
The ministry underscored that the agreement “lays the foundation for ending the war in Gaza, stopping the bloodshed of innocent Palestinians, and securing the release of the captives and a number of detained Palestinians.” The deal also paves the for “the entry of humanitarian, relief, and medical aid into the Gaza Strip in preparation for its reconstruction, while ensuring Palestinians remain on their land,” the statement added.
Abdelatty expressed hope that the agreement would mark “the end of a dark and painful chapter in the region’s history that has persisted for two consecutive years, compounding the Palestinian people’s suffering over the past eight decades.” He also voiced hope that the agreement would “open a new chapter in which Palestinians and Israelis alike can live in security and stability, paving the way for a just and lasting peace between them.”
Israel and Hamas have confirmed their agreement to a long-awaited ceasefire and prisoner exchange, marking the first phase of Trump’s 20-point plan to end the war that has killed over 67,000 people since October 2023. The progress comes after meetings between delegations from Hamas and Israel met in Egypt’s Sharm El-Sheikh in the presence of US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
Head of the General Intelligence Services Major General Hassan Rashad and his Turkish counterpart, Ibrahim Kalin, also participated, alongside Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s top aide, Ron Dermer, reportedly headed the Israeli delegation. Hamas and Israel were expected to sign the deal at 12 PM, a source briefed on the details of the agreement told Reuters on Thursday.
The ceasefire in Gaza would take effect once the agreement is signed, the source added. Trump said on Wednesday that he may travel to Egypt this weekend as part of a regional tour. His remarks came shortly after Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi publicly invited him to attend the signing ceremony of a potential agreement to end the war in Gaza, should negotiations succeed.
In a Telegram post, Hamas stated that the agreement would lead to “ending the war in Gaza, the withdrawal of the [Israeli] occupation from it, the entry of aid, and the exchange of prisoners.” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the agreement as “a great day for Israel,” noting that his government will meet on Thursday to approve the deal. Hamas currently holds 48 captives in Gaza, up to 20 of whom are believed to be still alive, according to Israeli estimates.
