Blanar Welcomes News of Agreement in Gaza and Release of Hostages

Bratislava, January 16 (TASR) - Foreign and European Affairs Minister Juraj Blanar (Smer-SD) has welcomed the news that an agreement has been reached in the Gaza Strip and that the hostages will be released, expressing hope that the agreement will lead to a permanent end to the fighting, TASR learnt from a statement sent by the ministry's communications department on Thursday. "I appreciate the tremendous efforts of the mediators from Egypt, Qatar and the USA. I'm thinking of the hostages who are being held but will soon be reunited with their families, as well as of the suffering civilian population in the Gaza Strip that must be reached urgently by much-needed humanitarian aid. I believe that the agreement will lead to a permanent end to the fighting, followed by a political two-state solution as a step towards a peaceful settlement throughout the Middle East," said the minister. The agreement between Israel and Palestinian militant movement Hamas was confirmed on Wednesday (January 15) by US President Joe Biden and Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani as mediators. The ceasefire is due to take effect officially on Sunday, January 19. am/df