UN chief welcomes cease-fire in Gaza

By Servet Gunerigok

WASHINGTON (AA) — UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the recent cease-fire agreement in Israel and Gaza, his spokesman said Sunday.

"The Secretary-General extends his deepest condolences to the families of the victims of the violence. The hostilities have led to needless human suffering," Stephane Dujarric said in a statement.

Guterres hailed Egypt's role in bringing the hostilities to an end, alongside the efforts of Qatar, Lebanon and the US to reach the truce.

"He calls on all sides to observe the ceasefire," said Dujarric.

"The Secretary-General reaffirms the United Nations' commitment to the achievement of the two-State solution based on relevant United Nations resolutions, international law, and prior agreements and the importance of restoring a political horizon," said the statement.

"He reiterates that only a negotiated sustainable political solution will lead to lasting peace and end, once and for all, these devastating cycles of violence," it added.

Israel and Palestinian groups in Gaza on Saturday agreed to an Egyptian-mediated cease-fire set to go into effect at 10 p.m. (1900GMT).

At least 33 Palestinians had been killed and dozens injured in Israeli airstrikes on Gaza since Tuesday, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

The Israeli army launched airstrikes as part of counter-offensive after rockets were fired from Gaza following the death of a Palestinian inmate who was on a hunger strike in an Israeli prison.

Palestinian factions in Gaza retaliated by firing barrages of rockets into Israeli territories.