EU welcomes Gaza ceasefire deal

The European Union has welcomed a long-term Gaza ceasefire reached between Israel and Palestinians after a 50-day war on the besieged enclave.

In a statement on Wednesday, the EU called for a “comprehensive and sustainable agreement” to follow to bring a lasting end to the conflict. 

“Simply returning to the situation before the latest conflict is not an option,” said the statement from the bloc’s diplomatic arm, the European External Action Service (EEAS).

“A sustainable agreement should address all the root causes of the conflict,” it added.

On Tuesday, Palestinian resistance groups and Israeli officials agreed on the permanent ceasefire in the blockaded Gaza Strip.

Israeli warplanes and tanks started pounding the coastal sliver in early July, inflicting heavy losses on the Palestinian land.

Almost 2,140 Palestinians, mostly civilians, including women, children and the elderly, were killed in 50 days of the Israeli onslaught on Gaza. Around 11,000 others were injured.

Tel Aviv says 69 Israelis were killed in the conflict, but the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas puts the number at much higher.

DB/MAM/MHB