Palestinian envoy urges world leaders to ensure ceasefire details fulfilled

We believe that for our cause as Palestinians and for the people of Gaza, India has a significant role in humanitarian and political efforts, Abed Elrazeg Abu Jazer said

As a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas came into effect on Sunday, the charg d'affaires of the Palestine Embassy in India, Abed Elrazeg Abu Jazer, urged the international community to implement every detail in the long-awaited agreement.

The envoy also sought India's assistance in the reconstruction work in war-torn Gaza.

The deal involves numerous technical details that are complex and challenging. It requires not only a follow-up by the Trump administration or the UN but also by all the powerful countries around the world," Abu Jazer told PTI.

"We urge the international community to ensure the implementation of every detail in the ceasefire agreement," he said.

The ceasefire and hostage-release deal between the two sides followed 15 months of conflict that was triggered by a shocking attack by Hamas on Israel on October 7, 2023.

The deal is expected to stop the ongoing war in Gaza and facilitate the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas.

Seeking India's assistance in the reconstruction work in war-torn Gaza, Abu Jazer said, "Throughout history, we have found India always giving humanitarian support in many different places around the world. They have the experience and are leading in this."  "We believe that for our cause as Palestinians and for the people of Gaza, India has a significant role in humanitarian and political efforts, the envoy said.

He said assistance could be in the form of medical aid, hospitals, schools and essential food.

The ceasefire deal is mediated by Qatar, Egypt and the US. The initial phase of the three-stage agreement is set to unfold over the upcoming six weeks.

"More than 700 Palestinian prisoners will be released, many of whom have been held in Israeli prisons for over 40 years. They have been in the prisons since before the Oslo agreement," the envoy said.

"Currently, more than 5,000 Palestinians are languishing in these prisons, he claimed.

However, the envoy expressed scepticism about the prospects of lasting peace in the region without a political solution.

The matter is not only related to Gaza because all the Palestinian areas, including East Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza itself are suffering from Israel's policy. Without a political solution and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders as stipulated by international law, any other measures are insignificant in comparison. This is the core issue, Abu Jazer said.

Earlier, Reuven Azar, Israel's Ambassador to India, said that the ceasefire deal can bring back Israeli hostages and ensure that Hamas will never be able to "massacre Israelis like it did on October 7".

Peace won't prevail if Hamas is allowed to rearm and regroup. The Middle East has changed. The Iranian radical regime still constitutes the biggest threat to our region, but it has lost Lebanon, Syria and Gaza. With enough international pressure, we can make sure it stops its quest for nuclear weapons, Azar said in a video released by the Israeli embassy.

Azar also thanked the Indian government in the video for supporting" his country's "right" to self-defence.

The negotiation for the second phase, which is scheduled to begin sixteen days after the implementation of the deal, aims to release more hostages. The third phase will focus on Gaza's reconstruction, a process that could take several years.