New Delhi, January 16 (UITV)- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and India have welcomed the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. Antonio Guterres has described it as ‘an important first step’. He says that the parties to this agreement should take advantage of this opportunity to establish a credible political path for a better future for Palestinians, Israelis and the wider region.
Guterres said, “I welcome the announcement of an agreement to ensure a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages.” He praised the efforts of mediators – Egypt, Qatar and the US in this process. Describing it as “an important first step”, he said that now we must make all necessary efforts to pursue broader goals, including the preservation of the unity and integrity of the occupied Palestinian territory. Guterres described Palestinian unity as essential for achieving lasting peace and stability and emphasized that a unified Palestinian regime should be the top priority.
India has also welcomed the decision to ceasefire and release of hostages in Gaza. India’s Foreign Ministry expressed hope that this agreement will pave the way for safe and continued humanitarian assistance in Gaza. The ministry said that India has always advocated the release of hostages, ceasefire and return to the path of diplomacy. The ministry described this step in this direction as positive and important and hoped that it would provide continued humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza.
The agreement was concluded after several weeks of negotiations by Qatar, Egypt and the US in Doha. Qatar Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani announced that 33 Israeli hostages would be released in the first 42-day phase. This phase could potentially lead to a permanent ceasefire. In this first phase, priority has been given to the release of women, children, elderly and sick or injured people.
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US President Joe Biden confirmed the agreement and said, “Today is a great day! Soon, the hostages will return home to their families.” He said that Israel would also release Palestinian prisoners in return. Biden also informed that the necessary arrangements would be negotiated in the second phase for a permanent end to the war between Israel and Hamas.
This agreement is being seen as a significant success after 15 months of violent conflict between Israel and Hamas. This conflict included people held hostage by terrorists in Gaza and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in Israel and now this agreement has created the possibility of release of these hostages and prisoners. This conflict, which started on 7 October 2023, has had many devastating consequences. About 1,200 people were killed and more than 250 people were taken hostage in Hamas’ attack on southern Israel.
After this, Israel started military action, in which more than 46,000 Palestinians were killed and more than one lakh people were injured in Gaza. Both sides have suffered extensive losses during this conflict and this agreement is an attempt to bring some stability to the situation by establishing a ceasefire and releasing hostages.
This ceasefire agreement will come into effect at 12:15 pm local time on Sunday, but it is yet to get the approval of the Israeli Cabinet and Supreme Court. This important decision can signal a pause for both the sides, giving both the sides a platform for further talks and diplomacy.
India, the United Nations and other international communities have welcomed this agreement, as it presents a ray of hope for regional peace. Guterres underlined the need for a political solution to end this conflict and considered this agreement an important step in that direction.
This development is a turning point not only for Israel and Palestine, but for the entire Middle East region. If this agreement leads to lasting peace, it can become a historic event. However, the stability and effectiveness of this agreement will depend on future talks and diplomacy.
Therefore, it is important that all parties take advantage of this opportunity to make a joint effort for comprehensive peace. Along with ending the war, protecting human rights, flow of humanitarian aid and ensuring regional stability should be the priority. India and other countries will have to play a positive role in this direction, so that this conflict can move towards lasting peace.
