UPDATE - EU welcomes cease-fire between Israel, Hamas

UPDATES WITH COMMENTS FROM EU POLICY CHIEF; MINOR EDITS

By Omer Tugrul Cam

BRUSSELS (AA) - The head of the European Council welcomed a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas on Friday.

“Welcome announced ceasefire between Israel and Hamas ending the 11-day conflict,” Charles Michel wrote on Twitter. “Opportunity for peace and security for citizens must be seized.”

An Egyptian-brokered cease-fire took effect early Friday.

At least 232 Palestinians were killed, including 65 children and 39 women, and more than 1,700 others injured in Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip that started on May 10, according to Palestinian sources.

- Borrell calls for political solution

In statement, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell expressed regret over the loss of lives and welcomed the cease-fire.

Borrell reiterated that “the situation in the Gaza Strip has been long unsustainable.”

“Only a political solution will bring sustainable peace and end once for all the Palestinian-Israeli conflict,” he pointed out, urging to restore the “political horizon towards a two-state solution”.

“The EU is renewing its engagement with key international partners, including the United States, and other partners in the region, as well as with the revitalised Middle East Quartet, to this end,” Borrell added.

*Agnes Szucs contributed to this report