The government issued a statement welcoming Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas agreeing to the first phase of a cease-fire deal.
Lee Jae-woong, Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said in a statement on the 9th, "Our government welcomes Israel and Hamas agreeing to the first phase of U.S. President Donald Trump's peace plan," adding, "We highly appreciate President Trump's leading proposal for this agreement and the mediation efforts of neighboring countries including Qatar, Egypt and Türkiye."
He also said, "The government hopes that, through the parties' thorough implementation of the agreement, the release of all hostages and improvements in the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip will be achieved as soon as possible," adding, "We hope this will be "a critical turning point" for Middle East peace." He added, "Going forward, we will continue to actively participate in the international community's efforts to promote peace in the Middle East, including implementing the two-state solution."
This war began on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas raided southern Israel, killing about 1,200 Israelis and taking some 250 civilians and soldiers hostage.
In response, Israel blockaded the Gaza Strip and carried out large-scale airstrikes. According to the Gaza Strip Health Ministry, since Oct. 7, 2023, about 66,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli military attacks.