Sir Keir Starmer (Labour) has described Hamas' partial acceptance of Donald Trump's Gaza peace plan as a "significant step forwards". The Prime Minister called for immediate implementation of an agreement to end the nearly two-year conflict.
Hamas confirmed it has accepted key elements of the US proposal, including willingness to release hostages and transfer power to other Palestinians. Senior Hamas officials indicated that further negotiations would be required on remaining areas of the plan.
Starmer issued a statement declaring strong support for Trump's diplomatic efforts. "We strongly support President Trump's efforts, which have brought us closer to peace than ever before," the Prime Minister said.
Call for immediate action
The Labour leader emphasised the urgency of seizing the current opportunity. "There is now an opportunity to end the fighting, for the hostages to return home, and for humanitarian aid to reach those who so desperately need it," Starmer stated.
He called on all parties to move swiftly towards implementation. "We call on all sides to implement the agreement without delay," the Prime Minister added, confirming the UK's readiness to support continued negotiations.
Trump welcomed Hamas' statement on social media, posting that he believed they were "ready for a lasting PEACE". The US President called for Israel to "immediately stop the bombing of Gaza, so that we can get the Hostages out safely and quickly".
Israeli response awaited
Israel had not immediately responded to the Hamas statement. The militant group's acceptance fell short of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's demands for Hamas to surrender and completely disarm.
Starmer concluded by stating the UK would work "towards sustainable peace for Israelis and Palestinians alike". Trump indicated that discussions on implementation details were already underway.
Sources used: "PA Media" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
