Belgian and European leaders have warmly welcomed the four-day humanitarian ceasefire agreed on Wednesday morning between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
The Qatar-brokered deal will involve the release of some 50 Israeli women and children captured by Hamas in Israel on 7 October in exchange for some 150 Palestinian women and teenagers currently held in Israeli jails. The total number of hostages abducted by Hamas during its surprise terrorist attack is about 240.
"Belgium welcomes the agreement that will free innocent women and children," Belgian Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib wrote on X (formerly Twitter). "This is a crucial first step that needs to be followed by further actions in compliance with international law."
In a statement, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that she "wholeheartedly welcome[d] the agreement reached on the release of the 50 hostages and on a pause in hostilities".
Credit: Belga
She also urged "the terrorist Hamas to immediately release" all remaining Israeli hostages and emphasised that the EU "will do its utmost to use this pause for a humanitarian surge to Gaza".
Travelling to the region
The ceasefire was announced just the day before Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo is expected to travel to the Middle-East for a two-day trip with his Spanish counterpart Pedro Sánchez.
Belgian media have reported that the trip will include visits to Israel, Egypt, and the Palestinian Territories. De Croo and Sánchez will also hold talks with Israeli President Isaac Herzog, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and President of the Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas.
"We want to actively contribute to the de-escalation of violence and to a political solution, from the European level," De Croo wrote on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday. "In Israel and Palestine, we will discuss the humanitarian and political situation."
Je me rendrai au Moyen-Orient avec @sanchezcastejon
Nous voulons contribuer activement à la désescalade de la violence et à une solution politique, depuis le niveau européen. En Israël et en Palestine, nous discuterons de la situation humanitaire et politique. — Alexander De Croo 🇧🇪🇪🇺 (@alexanderdecroo) November 20, 2023
More than 1,200 Israelis and 14,000 Palestinians have been killed since 7 October, according to Israel respectively the Hamas-run health ministry.
