Espen Barth Eide hopes the upcoming ceasefire will be long-lasting

Last night, Israel approved a four-day ceasefire with Hamas. The release of 50 Israeli hostages and 150 Palestinian prisoners is among the main points of the agreement. It is mainly women and children who are dragged free by both sides in the conflict. Over 300 truck trains with emergency aid will also be allowed to enter the Gaza Strip daily while the ceasefire is in place. The ceasefire is the first diplomatic breakthrough between the parties since Hamas attacked Israel on 7 October. Around 200 Israeli hostages are still held captive in the Gaza Strip. Israel has reportedly agreed to extend the ceasefire by one day for every quarter of hostages who are freed, writes the Associated Press. Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide (Ap) says that the agreement makes it possible to send more humanitarian aid into Gaza than has been possible so far. – A ceasefire is something we have wanted for a long time. We have told all parties that we want a long-term ceasefire. The Red Cross will now also be allowed to see the hostages who are still being held by Hamas. It is important. – Nor does this conflict have a final military solution. It must be found through negotiations. And I can see no better outcome in the long term than that we get a two-state solution, a legitimate Palestinian state that lives in peace next to Israel and that they figure it out with each other, says Eide. Biden is happy that the United States has been central in the work to get the agreement together with Qatar and Egypt. – I am very happy that some of these brave souls will be brought back with their families when this agreement is fully implemented, says US President Joe Biden. The American president thanks the leaders of the two countries for their efforts and confirms that American hostages are expected to be released as a result of the agreement. The head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, also welcomes the agreement between Israel and Hamas, and says the EU will use the break for humanitarian aid. – The European Commission will do its utmost to use the break as a humanitarian boost for Gaza, says von der Leyen.



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