Hostage release agreement: Biden “happy”, Europe “grateful”, “good news” for Russia and China

The agreement concluded under the aegis of Qatar for a humanitarian truce in Gaza and the release of hostages kidnapped by Hamas in Israel was hailed around the world on Wednesday November 22 as an important step forward in the conflict.

The Israeli government has given the green light to a deal to secure the release of 50 hostages held by Hamas in exchange for Palestinian prisoners and a four-day truce in the Gaza Strip, the first tangible sign of respite after weeks of war.

Close to both Hamas and the United States, Qatar was eagerly awaited in the negotiations in recent weeks, although the emirate does not maintain official diplomatic relations with Israel. Around 240 people were kidnapped during the bloody attack launched on October 7 against Israel by the Palestinian Islamist movement, in power in the Gaza Strip.

The agreement to release hostages is “the right decision” to make, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said. This truce agreement does not mean the end of the war in the Gaza Strip, however, warned Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, saying he wanted a “full force” resumption of operations after the truce in order to “undo” the Hamas and to “create the necessary conditions to bring home other hostages.”

Hamas, whose leader Ismaïl Haniyeh had reported progress in the talks, welcomed a “humanitarian truce” agreement, specifying that the “provisions of this agreement were formulated in accordance with the vision of the resistance”.

The Palestinian Authority calls for an end to “Israeli aggression.” A senior Palestinian Authority official in the occupied West Bank welcomed “the agreement for a humanitarian truce,” reaffirming “the call for a complete cessation of Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people and the entry of aid humanitarian".

The Qatari Foreign Ministry welcomed the “success” of its joint mediation with Egypt and the United States, adding that it hoped that “this truce will allow a comprehensive and lasting agreement that will put an end to the war machine (. ..) and will lead to serious discussions with a view to a comprehensive and just peace process. Doha has been working for weeks with Washington and Cairo to obtain the release of hostages held in Gaza in exchange for that of Palestinian prisoners and a truce in the fighting.

US President Joe Biden said he was “extraordinarily pleased” that “many of these brave souls (...) will be reunited with their families once this agreement is fully implemented”.

British Foreign Secretary David Cameron called the agreement "a crucial step in providing relief to the families of the hostages and resolving the humanitarian crisis in Gaza", calling on "all parties to ensure that the agreement is respected in its entirety ".

Germany welcomed a “progress” that “must be used to deliver vital aid to residents”. “The announced release of a first group of hostages is progress, even if nothing in the world will be able to erase their suffering. The humanitarian truce must be used to provide the vital aid necessary to the inhabitants of Gaza,” declared the head of German diplomacy Annalena Baerbock on the social network X.

Paris “welcomes” the work of Qatar and hopes that French people will be among the hostages soon released by Hamas.

China welcomed the agreement and hopes that the truce “will help ease the humanitarian crisis, contribute to de-escalation and reduce tensions,” declared a spokesperson for Chinese diplomacy, Mao Ning stressing that Beijing has been calling “since the start of the conflict” to a “ceasefire”.

Russia “welcomes” the agreement on a humanitarian truce in Gaza, said the spokesperson for Russian diplomacy, Maria Zakharova, stressing that “this is exactly what Russia called for from the start of the escalation of the conflict”.

The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, welcomed “with all [her] heart” the agreement on the release of hostages, she said in a press release. “I share the joy of the families who will soon be able to hug their loved ones again,” she said, adding that she was “very grateful to all those who have worked tirelessly through diplomatic channels in recent weeks to secure this agreement. ". She calls on “terrorist Hamas to immediately release all the hostages.”

Ursula von der Leyen also affirms that the European Commission will work towards a “humanitarian surge” in Gaza during the negotiated pause.