Washington, DC – Representative Gregory W. Meeks, Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued the following statement concerning the ceasefire and hostage release deal reached between Israel and Hamas: 

“I enthusiastically welcome the Gaza ceasefire and hostage agreement announced today. The agreement is long overdue, both for the families of the hostages and the innocent Palestinian civilians who have suffered during these past 15 months.

“This is a multi-phase deal, and difficult work lies ahead to make certain that the remaining hostages come home and, as part of the final phase, that we see a permanent ceasefire, the beginning of Gaza’s reconstruction, and the release of the deceased hostages’ bodies. 

“At the end of this process, Gaza must transition to a Palestinian-led territory free from the rule of Hamas. The devastation in Gaza is extensive, and it will take many years, significant funding, and serious diplomacy to make Gaza’s future successful. We must keep our focus on creating space to facilitate a permanent two-state solution, which will be necessary to ensure regional support for Gaza’s future and ensure that Israel can remain a strong, Jewish, democracy long into the future.

“I thank the Biden Administration, as well our regional partners, for their tireless diplomacy to reach today’s agreement. I encourage the incoming Trump Administration to aggressively advance this deal and do everything in its power to bring peace and justice to both Israelis and Palestinians.” 

###