UAE welcomes ceasefire announcement in Gaza

The UAE has welcomed the announcement of a ceasefire agreement in Gaza, alongside the release of detainees, hostages, and captives, according to the foreign ministry.

Negotiators reached a phased ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas on Wednesday.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan expressed his support for the announcement and commended the efforts of Qatar, Egypt, and the United States in securing the ceasefire agreement.

In a statement released Wednesday, he expressed hope that the deal would bring an end to the suffering in Gaza and prevent further loss of life.

Sheikh Abdullah stressed “the necessity of both parties’ adherence to all agreements and obligations to end the anguish of the Palestinian captives and Israeli hostages.”

The foreign minister also called on the international community to support efforts aimed at advancing the peace process in the Middle East, emphasizing the need for a solution that ensures the establishment of an independent Palestinian state while addressing the humanitarian crisis and protecting the rights of the Palestinian people.

In his statement, he reaffirmed the UAE’s commitment to ensuring the urgent and unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza, who have endured critical conditions for more than 15 months.International Reactions to Gaza Ceasefire Deal

Here are some reactions from leaders around the world:

U.S. President Joe Biden

“I can announce a ceasefire and a hostage deal has been reached between Israel and Hamas,” Biden said at the White House. “Fighting in Gaza will stop, and soon the hostages return home to their families.”

“For the Palestinian people, a credible pathway to a state of their own. And for the region, a future of normalization, integration of Israel and all its Arab neighbors, including Saudi Arabia,” he said.

U.S. President-Elect Donald Trump

“We have a deal for the hostages in the Middle East. They will be released shortly. Thank you!” Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform.
“With this deal in place, my National Security team, through the efforts of Special Envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, will continue to work closely with Israel and our allies to make sure Gaza NEVER again becomes a terrorist safe haven,” Trump added.

U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres

“The United Nations stands ready to support the implementation of this deal and scale up the delivery of sustained humanitarian relief to the countless Palestinians who continue to suffer,” Guterres told reporters.

“It is imperative that this ceasefire removes the significant security and political obstacles to delivering aid across Gaza so that we can support a major increase in urgent lifesaving humanitarian support.”

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan

He told reporters in Ankara the ceasefire deal was an important step for regional stability. Fidan also said Turkish efforts for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict would continue.

Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani

The prime minister called for calm in Gaza between now and Jan. 19, when the ceasefire deal takes effect.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi

He welcomed the Gaza ceasefire deal, according to a post on X, and stressed the importance of quickly delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza.

International Committee of the Red Cross President Mirjana Spoljaric

“I hope this agreement marks a new beginning. Civilian lives must be protected, and their needs prioritized. The coming days are critical, and we are counting on the parties to hold to their commitments. While the agreement is welcome, it is not the end,” Spoljaric said.

Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission

“I warmly welcome the ceasefire and hostage release agreement in Gaza. Hostages will be reunited with their loved ones, and humanitarian aid can reach civilians in Gaza. This brings hope to an entire region, where people have endured immense suffering for far too long. Both parties must fully implement this agreement as a stepping stone toward lasting stability in the region and a diplomatic resolution of the conflict,” she said.

Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani

“We hope that the announcement of a ceasefire agreement in Gaza will contribute to ending the aggression, destruction, and killing in the strip and the occupied Palestinian territories, and to start a new phase in which this just cause will not be marginalized,” he said.

Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry

It welcomed the deal and thanked the mediating countries. The ministry urged “commitment to the deal to end the Israeli aggression on Gaza and the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from the strip and all Palestinian and Arab lands... It also affirms the importance of building on this deal to resolve the basis of the conflict.”

Mohammed Abdulsalam, Spokesperson for Yemen’s Houthi

“We salute Gaza’s legendary and historic resilience in the face of Israel’s fiercest aggression against the oppressed Palestinian people... With its continued occupation of Palestine, (Israel) represents a threat to the security and stability of the region,” Abdulsalam said.

South African Government

“South Africa welcomes the ceasefire agreement reached between Israel and Hamas after 15 months of Israel’s genocidal onslaught on Gaza after Hamas and other armed groups launched an attack on Israel. South Africa calls for the implementation of a just and lasting peace that ensures the human rights of both Palestinians and Israelis are protected and promoted,” a government statement said.

Cindy McCain, Executive Director of the World Food Program

"...A ceasefire is the start—not the end. We have food lined up at the borders to Gaza—and need to be able to bring it in at scale. For this, we need all border crossings open and to be able to move food safely from the crossing points to the people in need across Gaza,” McCain said.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer

“For the innocent Palestinians whose homes turned into a war zone overnight and the many who have lost their lives, this ceasefire must allow for a huge surge in humanitarian aid, which is so desperately needed to end the suffering in Gaza.
“And then our attention must turn to how we secure a permanently better future for the Israeli and Palestinian people—grounded in a two-state solution that will guarantee security and stability for Israel, alongside a sovereign and viable Palestinian state.”

(With additional input from Reuters)