JakartaPost-Jan 16, 2025
Indonesia welcomed on Thursday the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas and urged its immediate and comprehensive implementation to “halt the loss of lives in Gaza” after 15 months of war. The ceasefire deal is expected to halt fighting in the devastated Palestinian territory for an initial 42 days, with 33 hostages held in Gaza released in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails. The agreement should ideally be a stepping-stone to lasting peace in Palestine, the Foreign Ministry said, underlining that the two-state solution remained the only way to bring an end to the decades-long, multigenerational conflict. “Peace in Palestine cannot be achieved without the end of Israel’s occupation and the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state, in accordance with the two-state solution based on agreed international parameters,” the ministry said in a statement. In a separate statement on social media, Foreign Minister Sugiono emphasized that despite the ceasefire deal announced on Wednesday, “Israel’s cruelty in Palestine has caused tens of thousands of lives”, and that reconstruction efforts must be taken seriously. Hamas’ attack on Israeli soil on Oct. 7, 2023, slipped by unnoticed in one of the most heavily fortified areas in the world and resulted in the death of thousands. “Indonesia emphasizes the importance of rebuilding the lives of people in Gaza through full access to humanitarian aid delivery, including the restoration of UNRWA’s role, as well as the reconstruction of Gaza,” the ministry said. Read more at:
