By Melike Pala
BRUSSELS (AA) - EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas on Thursday welcomed the agreement between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas on the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire deal as a "significant breakthrough."
"This is a major diplomatic accomplishment and a real chance to end a devastating war and release all the hostages," she said through the US social media company X.
She added that the EU "will do what it can to support its implementation."
Her remarks came after US President Donald Trump announced that Israel and Hamas had signed off on the first phase of a US-proposed Gaza deal.
The 20-point plan, first announced on Sept. 29, includes the release of all Israeli captives in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, a ceasefire, the disarmament of Hamas, and the rebuilding of Gaza.
Since October 2023, Israeli attacks have killed nearly 67,200 Palestinians in the enclave, most of them women and children.
The relentless bombardment has left Gaza largely uninhabitable, leading to widespread starvation and disease.