Malta welcomes Gaza ceasefire agreement

Foreign minister calls for Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations based on an agreement on the borders of two states on 1967 borders

Foreign affairs minister George Vella
Foreign affairs minister George Vella

Malta welcomed the ceasefire that was agreed between Israel and Hamas following weeks of violence in Gaza.

In a statement issued today, government urged both parties to work on the agreement reached in Cairo “to ensure a durable and sustainable return to peace.”

Minister for Foreign Affairs George Vella commended Egyptian authorities for their perseverance in securing the open-ended ceasefire following various botched attempts.

In the weeks ahead, Vella, added,  “it will be very important to facilitate the return to normal livelihood of those thousands of Palestinians whose lives were so dramatically disrupted during the conflict.”

He reiterated that a durable ceasefire can only be effective against a backdrop of resumed peace negotiations based on an agreement on the borders of two states on 1967 borders, security arrangements that respect Palestinian sovereignty, a just resolution to the refugee question and the status of Jerusalem as the future capital of both states.

Vella will be discussing the situation in Gaza with other Foreign Ministers from the European Union during an Informal Ministerial Meeting in Milan on 29-30 August.