World leaders express 'tremendous relief for the hostages, for their families and for the people of Gaza'

U.S. and world leaders reacted to the Israel-Hamas ceasefire and hostage release deal on Wednesday, expressing relief over a long-awaited end to the 15-month war in Gaza. 

The ceasefire terms were announced at a news conference held at the White House and will consist of two phases over the next few weeks. 

The first phase "includes a full and complete ceasefire withdrawal of Israeli forces from all the populated areas of Gaza, and the release of a number of hostages held by Hamas, including women and elderly and the wounded," President Joe Biden said, and this phase will begin on Sunday.

A second phase is dependent on Israel making "the necessary arrangements," to end the war, which will include releasing Palestinian prisoners and giving up the Philadelphi corridor.

Alexander De Croo, the prime minister of Belgium released a statement on X: "After too many months of conflict, we feel tremendous relief for the hostages, for their families and for the people of Gaza. Let's hope this ceasefire will put an end to the fighting and mark the beginning of a sustained peace. Belgium stands ready to help."

Olaf Scholz, chancellor of Germany, also posted on social media, "the fact that an agreement on a ceasefire and the release of hostages in Gaza, including Germans, seems to have been reached is good news!"

"This agreement must now be implemented to the letter. All of the hostages must be released. The mortal remains of the deceased must also be handed over to the families for a dignified burial. This ceasefire opens the door to a permanent end to the war and to the improvement of the poor humanitarian situation in Gaza. We are continuing to work toward this," he continued.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said she was "very encouraged" to see an end to the war. "This is something I've called for many, many months over the last year since the horrific, barbaric attack on innocent civilians in Israel that occurred on October 7 of last year," she said. "My main priority has been bringing home the hostages."

New York Democratic Representative Ritchie Torres posted on 𝕏 that he felt "an indescribable sense of relief," about the release of the hostages.

"The return of the hostages will mark the beginning of closure for Israelis and Jews, as well as countless others, who continue to be deeply affected by the indelible terror and trauma of October 7th," Torres wrote. "The hostages have been brought home by the power of the world’s most powerful friendship – the US-Israel relationship."

British PM Kier Starmer said the cease-fire was "long-overdue news."

"The Israeli and Palestinian people have borne the brunt of this conflict – triggered by the brutal terrorists of Hamas, who committed the deadliest massacre of Jewish people since the Holocaust on October 7th, 2023," Starmer said.

"The hostages, who were brutally ripped from their homes on that day and held captive in unimaginable conditions ever since, can now finally return to their families," he added.

"But we should also use this moment to pay tribute to those who won’t make it home – including the British people who were murdered by Hamas. We will continue to mourn and remember them," Starmer acknowledged.

French President Emmanuel Macron posted on  𝕏 that “the agreement must be respected. The hostages freed. Gazans aided. A political solution must happen.”  

"After 15 months of unjustifiable ordeal, immense relief for the Gazans, hope for the hostages and their families," Macron said. He also referenced Ohad Yahalomi and Ofer Calderon, two French-Israeli hostages.

Barack Obama, former president of the United States said, "The ceasefire and hostage release deal announced between Israel and Hamas is good news – for the families of the hostages taken on October 7th, for the Palestinian civilians who have suffered for more than a year, and for everyone who has prayed for an end to this awful chapter. It’s important to recognize that no deal – including this one – can ease the pain of those who have lost loved ones or resolve the longstanding conflict between Israelis and Palestinians.

"That work will be much harder and take much longer. But it will put a stop to the bloodshed, allow people to return to their homes, and get much-needed aid to more than a million desperate, hungry people. That’s something we should all support, and I’m grateful to President Biden, Secretary Blinken, and all the leaders and diplomatic teams from around the world who have worked so hard to get this done,” Obama said.

White House national security communications adviser John Kirby said that, “hopefully, come this weekend, we'll start to see some families reunited.”