Foreign Secretary statement on Israel-Hamas hostage agreement

The Foreign Secretary has given a statement following the agreement reached by Israel and Hamas for a coordinated release of hostages and pause in fighting.

Foreign Secretary David Cameron said:

This agreement is a crucial step towards providing relief to the families of the hostages and addressing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.  

I urge all parties to ensure the agreement is delivered in full. Of course, we want to see all hostages released immediately and families affected by the horrors of the October 7th terror attack reunited.

This pause provides an important opportunity to ensure much greater volumes of food, fuel and other life-saving aid can reach Gaza on a sustained basis. We have already doubled our aid commitment to Palestinians this year and will work closely with the UN to ensure it reaches those who need it.

The UK will continue to work with all partners in the region to secure the release of all hostages, restore security and reach a long-term political solution which enables both Israelis and Palestinians to live in peace.