Pakistan welcomes ceasefire deal in Gaza
Pakistan
It is hoped that truce would lead to permanent ceasefire and help in step up humanitarian assistance
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - Pakistan has welcomed the Gaza ceasefire agreement, and called for its immediate and full implementation.
It is hoped that the truce would lead to permanent ceasefire and help in scaling up humanitarian assistance, the Foreign Office spokesperson said on Thursday.
"Indiscriminate use of force by Israeli occupation forces has caused unprecedented loss of lives and property and displacement of hundreds of thousands of innocent civilian Palestinians. Israel's expansionist designs have destabilised the entire region," read official statement.
Pakistan reiterates its support for a just, comprehensive, and durable solution to the Palestinian issue, leading to the establishment of a sovereign State of Palestine based on pre-June 1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital, it added.
Israel, Hamas Ceasefire Deal
Negotiators reached a phased deal on Wednesday to end the war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas, an official briefed on the negotiations said, after 15 months of conflict that has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians and inflamed the Middle East.
The accord, which has not yet been formally announced, outlines a six-week initial ceasefire phase and includes the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip and the release of hostages held by Hamas in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, the official told Reuters.
Phase one entails the release of 33 Israeli hostages including all women, children and men over 50.
Negotiations on implementing the second phase will begin by the 16th day of phase one and it is expected to include the release of all remaining hostages, a permanent ceasefire and the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.
The third phase is expected to address the return of all remaining dead bodies and the start of Gaza's reconstruction supervised by Egypt, Qatar and the United Nations.
The agreement follows months of on-off negotiations conducted by Egyptian and Qatari mediators, with the backing of the United States. It comes just ahead of US President-elect Donald Trump's Jan 20 inauguration.
