World Leaders React to Israel-Hamas Deal to Pause Fighting, Free at Least 50 Hostages

TIME

An agreement has been reached between Israel and Hamas to release at least 50 women and children currently being held hostage by Hamas in Gaza in exchange for a brief pause in fighting and the release of 150 Palestinian prisoners.

Transcript

00:00 >>The Prime Minister We welcome the agreement reached overnight.

00:04 As I said, this is something that we have consistently pushed for and is a crucial first

00:09 step as we try to resolve this situation and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Of course,

00:16 we want to see all hostages released as quickly as possible, including British nationals,

00:20 and I urge all parties involved to deliver the agreement in full. I would also like to

00:25 give a record of my thanks to Qatar for their important role, and we will continue to work

00:30 with the United States and Israel to ensure the safe return of hostages and maximise the

00:35 opportunity of this temporary pause to step up aid to suffering civilians in Gaza. It

00:40 is something that we have pushed for, we have continued to do, and the UK is playing a leading

00:44 role in delivering.

00:45 >>Mr. Yusuf Suleiman We wholeheartedly welcome the agreement reached

00:50 on the release of the 50 hostages and on the pause of hostilities. We stress at the same

00:58 time the urgent need for all hostages to be released immediately, and we will work with

01:05 our humanitarian partners to use the pause for a humanitarian surge in Gaza. Ensuring

01:11 adequate humanitarian access will also require putting in place urgent and extended humanitarian

01:18 pauses throughout Gaza and for a sufficient number of days, as called for last week by

01:26 the United Nations Security Council in its Resolution 2712, which was facilitated by

01:31 Malta. We hope that the agreement on a pause of hostilities that has just been reached

01:38 will allow for a substantial surge in humanitarian aid delivery into and within Gaza, and we

01:46 certainly hope that this will not be a one-off.

01:48 >>Ms. Catherine Fletcher This is an important and necessary step, but

01:53 what we must ultimately work towards is a long-term enduring peace. And I again reiterate

01:59 that a long-term enduring peace requires a two-state solution, with Israelis and Palestinians

02:05 living securely and prosperously within internationally recognised borders. Australia has been working

02:11 with countries that have influence in the region to help protect and support civilians,

02:16 to help prevent the conflict from spreading, and to reinforce the need for the just and

02:21 enduring peace that all of us want.

02:24 Look, I think we would all want to see a sustainable ceasefire, but we also know that cannot be

02:30 one-sided. And we recognise that the steps that have been taken today with this agreement

02:37 that has been negotiated is progress towards these goals. But I want to say this, we remain

02:43 deeply concerned about the loss of civilian life. And I know so many Australians are deeply

02:50 concerned about the loss of civilian life. People are distressed about the horrific attack

02:57 by Hamas. People want the hostages released, and people are distressed by the loss of civilian

03:03 life in the period we have seen in these last weeks.

03:06 "The situation of insecurity and instability in the Western Asian region is a matter of

03:13 concern for all of us. Today, our coming together is a sign that we are all sensitive to the

03:20 issues and are standing together for their solution."

03:25 "It is a positive development that the four-day humanitarian break and the agreement on the

03:39 exchange of hostages and prisoners, albeit in limited numbers, has been reached. We expect

03:47 this step to be our priority and to be a permanent fire and a means of peace that we expect to

03:57 be established as soon as possible."

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