World leaders react to Trump's Gaza deal

NEW YORK, Oct 09 (Reuters/AFP): US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that Israel and Hamas had reached a long-sought deal for a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release under his plan for ending the two-year-old war in the Palestinian enclave.

Following are reactions from leaders to the development:

Un Secretary General Antonio Guterres said, "I welcome the announcement of an agreement to secure a ceasefire and hostage release in Gaza, based on the proposal put forward by President Donald J Trump. I commend the diplomatic efforts of the United States, Qatar, Egypt and Turkey in brokering this desperately needed breakthrough," Guterres said in a statement.

"I urge all concerned to abide fully by the terms of the agreement. All hostages must be released in a dignified manner. A permanent ceasefire must be secured. The fighting must stop once and for all. Immediate and unimpeded entry of humanitarian supplies and essential commercial materials into Gaza must be ensured. The suffering must end.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas called the deal "a major diplomatic accomplishment", which was "a real chance" to end the conflict and release the hostages.

Among European leaders, Trump ally Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni of Italy called it "extraordinary news", while French President Emmanuel Macron said he hoped it would pave the way for a "political solution".

Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the developments were "encouraging" and he was "confident" of a solution this week.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said, "I welcome the news that a deal has been reached on the first stage of President Trump's peace plan for Gaza," Starmer said in a statement.

"This is a moment of profound relief that will be felt all around the world, but particularly for the hostages, their families, and for the civilian population of Gaza, who have all endured unimaginable suffering over the last two years.

"This agreement must now be implemented in full, without delay, and accompanied by the immediate lifting of all restrictions on life-saving humanitarian aid to Gaza.

Government Of Canada's Global Affairs Department said, "Canada welcomes the agreement of Israel and Hamas to implement the first phase of the peace plan put forward by President Trump, and facilitated by Qatar, Egypt and Turkey," Global Affairs Canada, which manages the country's diplomatic and consular relations, said on X.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, "A big day for Israel," Netanyahu said in a statement. "Tomorrow I will convene the government to approve the agreement and bring all our dear hostages home. I thank the heroic IDF soldiers and all the security forces - thanks to their courage and sacrifice, we have reached this day.

"I thank from the bottom of my heart President Trump and his team for their dedication to this sacred mission of freeing our hostages.

"With God's help, together we will continue to achieve all our goals and expand peace with our neighbours."

The Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) said, "We highly appreciate the efforts of our brothers and mediators in Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey, and we also value the efforts of US President Donald Trump aimed at ending the war completely and achieving a full withdrawal of the occupation from the Gaza Strip," Hamas said in a statement.

New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters said, "Hamas needs to release all of the hostages and Israel must withdraw their troops to the agreed-upon line," Peters said in a statement.

"This is an essential first step towards achieving lasting peace. We urge Israel and Hamas to continue working towards a complete resolution."