David Cameron welcomes Israel-Hamas hostage deal, calls it “crucial step” to address crisis in Gaza

London [UK], November 23 (ANI): British Foreign Secretary David Cameron has welcomed the hostage deal between Israel and Hamas — which paves for the release of first group of 50 Israeli hostages — and urged all parties to ensure that the agreement is delivered in full.

Calling it a “crucial step”, the former Prime Minister said that the pause provides an important opportunity to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza by making greater volumes of food, fuel and other life-saving aid reach the conflict-hit region.

Cameron chaired a meeting of Arab and Islamic leaders in London on the situation in Israel and Gaza.

“This agreement is a crucial step towards providing relief to the families of the hostages and addressing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza,” Cameron said in a statement.

“I urge all parties to ensure the agreement is delivered in full. Of course, we want to see all hostages released immediately and families affected by the horrors of the October 7th terror attack reunited,” he added.

He further said that UK has doubled its commitment to Palestinians and will continue to work to secure the release of all hostages, restoration of security and reaching a “long-term political solution” to the conflict.

“This pause provides an important opportunity to ensure much greater volumes of food, fuel and other life-saving aid can reach Gaza on a sustained basis. We have already doubled our aid commitment to Palestinians this year and will work closely with the UN to ensure it reaches those who need it,” the statement read.

It added, “The UK will continue to work with all partners in the region to secure the release of all hostages, restore security and reach a long-term political solution which enables both Israelis and Palestinians to live in peace.”

The deal set to unfold, as detailed by Israel’s cabinet, would trade 50 living Israeli hostages — children, their mothers, and other women in groups of 12-13 people — for a four-day lull in fighting and the release of up to 150 Palestinian female and underage prisoners. It is a first since the ongoing war started after the October 7 attacks, Times of Israel reported.

If the deal is successfully completed, it would be the biggest diplomatic breakthrough since the war erupted last month.

According to the deal, if Hamas is able to locate additional hostages who are either minors or female non-combatants to release, the deal can be extended to up to 10 days, with one extra day’s pause in the fighting for every 10 hostages released. Three additional Palestinian prisoners would be released for each hostage freed.

Times of Israel reported citing Israeli estimates that Hamas holds a total of 98 women and children, 40 of whom are under the age of 19. At first, Hamas had more than 100 living women and children, but after the murders of Yehudit Weiss and Noa Marciano in captivity, that number dropped. In addition, the terror group released four women, and a fifth was liberated in Israeli military operation.