Global Welcome for Gaza Ceasefire: World Leaders Urge End to Occupation and Support Palestinian Statehood
Several Arab and international countries and organizations welcomed on Thursday the announcement of a ceasefire agreement to end the devastating war on the Gaza Strip, which has raged for more than two years and claimed the lives of over 67,000 Palestinians while injuring 170,000 others.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres hailed the agreement as a crucial step toward ending the bloodshed, urging all parties to fully adhere to its terms. He affirmed that the United Nations would actively support the deal’s implementation, expand humanitarian aid, and assist in Gaza’s recovery and reconstruction. Guterres called for transforming this opportunity into a genuine political path to end the occupation and ensure the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination through a two-state solution that guarantees peace and security for all.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer stressed that “the agreement must now be fully implemented without delay,” alongside the immediate lifting of all restrictions on life-saving humanitarian assistance to Gaza. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani announced that Rome is ready to contribute to Gaza’s reconstruction and even participate in a potential international peacekeeping force aimed at unifying Palestine. EU High Representative Kaja Kallas and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen both described the agreement as a “real opportunity” for lasting peace, pledging full European support for aid delivery and rebuilding efforts.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan reaffirmed his country’s commitment to ensuring the full implementation of the agreement and to pursuing the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders, with East Al-Quds as its capital. Meanwhile, Arab Parliament Speaker Mohammed Al-Yamahi called the ceasefire a “turning point” that must lead to justice, reconstruction, and an end to civilian suffering. He urged the international community to pressure the occupying power to stop its illegal practices, including settlement expansion, settler violence, and attacks on holy sites. Al-Yamahi reaffirmed the Arab Parliament’s unwavering support for the Palestinian people’s legitimate struggle for self-determination and the establishment of a sovereign, independent state.
