Europe 'welcomes' Gaza ceasefire...Call for a Two-State Solution

When the cease-fire between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas took effect, Europe welcomed it with one voice.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in a statement that the release of the three hostages today (the 19th) was good news finally gained after months of suffering for them and their families, and that he was ready to help and support them.

Emily Damari, a dual Israeli and British citizen, was among the three female hostages released this time.

Starmer said it was also a day of pain for those who have yet to return home, stressing that the cease-fire agreement should be welcomed but that those held hostage by Hamas should not be forgotten.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said in an X that more humanitarian aid must now be quickly delivered to Gaza and that efforts must be made to ensure that Palestinians and Israel can coexist peacefully.

European Union Summit President António Costa also told X that the cease-fire agreement brought much-needed glimmers of hope to the region and stressed that all parties must abide by the agreement.

The Elysee Palace, France's presidential office, revealed President Emmanuel Macron's phone call with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas the day before, saying it was important for Macron to restore Palestinian control in Gaza.