Greece is prepared to contribute to diplomatic initiatives aimed at ending the war in Gaza and establishing a sustainable framework for governance, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said in his weekly Sunday morning post on social media.
“All hostages must be released immediately, hostilities must end, and humanitarian aid must be intensified. We are in constant contact with allies and partners in the region,” the prime minister stated. “The prospect of creating two states in the region must be kept alive, with real security conditions, as the only solution for lasting peace for the benefit of the entire region.”
Both Israel and Hamas, the Palestinian Islamist movement governing the Gaza Strip, have now indicated support for a new US-backed plan to end the conflict in Gaza and secure the release of all remaining Israeli hostages.
US President Donald Trump said he believes Hamas is ready for a “lasting peace” and has urged Israel to halt its bombing of the territory, while warning that “all bets will be off” if Hamas does not act quickly.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he hopes to announce the release of all hostages “in the coming days.”
Many uncertainties persist around the plan ahead of indirect talks between Israel and Hamas scheduled to take place in Egypt on Monday. Netanyahu has already said that there will not be a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. Tuesday marks two years since the war began. [Kathimerini, AP]