CAIRO, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- Countries in the Middle East have welcomed the ceasefire agreement reached between Israel and Hamas on Wednesday, urging for full implementation of the deal in the hope that it would alleviate the suffering of the people in Gaza Strip and bring long-term stability to the region.

In a statement on Thursday, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun welcomed the ceasefire agreement, saying, "It ends the tragic reality in Gaza," and allows the return of displaced Palestinians to their homes.

Aoun considered that Israel's commitment to the terms of the agreement requires follow-up by the sponsoring countries and the United Nations, reiterating the Palestinians' right to an independent state with sovereignty over the 1967 borders, according to the statement released by the Lebanese presidency.

King Abdullah II of Jordan welcomed the announcement of the Gaza ceasefire, calling on the world to intensify efforts to alleviate the tragedy caused by the war by enhancing humanitarian response, the state-run Petra news agency reported.

The king affirmed that Jordan will continue to stand by the people of Palestine, provide aid, and work toward peace, Petra added.

The Libyan Foreign Ministry expressed "great welcome and overwhelming happiness for the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip," it said in a statement, hoping that the agreement would "end the suffering of the brotherly Palestinian people from unjust aggression that lasted more than a year."

The ministry called on all concerned parties to commit to the terms of the agreement, and prevent any "circumvention or inaction" to prolong the crisis.

In a statement by Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Kingdom welcomed the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip and appreciated the efforts made by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States, expressing hopes that the agreement will "permanently end this brutal war," the official Saudi Press Agency reported.

The statement stressed the need to adhere to the agreement, and highlighted the importance of "addressing the root causes of the conflict by enabling the Palestinian people to claim their rights, foremost among them is the establishment of an independent Palestinian state along the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital."

Algeria said it welcomes the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip, calling it a long-awaited step to ease Palestinian suffering and end the Israeli assault.

In a statement on X, the Foreign Ministry said the deal "must be followed by further measures for the reconstruction and unification of Palestinian territories, and concrete steps toward establishing an independent and sovereign Palestinian state," which is "the only just, lasting, and definitive solution" to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

On Wednesday, Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul-Gheit welcomed the ceasefire deal, calling for strict adherence to the terms of the agreement.

"The agreement must lead to a complete and final cessation of the Israeli war on Gaza," Aboul-Gheit said, according to a statement from the pan-Arab organization.

Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi welcomed on Wednesday the ceasefire agreement that was reached "after more than a year of arduous efforts under the mediation of Egypt, Qatar, and the United States."

The Egyptian leader emphasized "the urgency of facilitating the swift delivery of critical humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza to address the current catastrophic humanitarian crisis," according to a statement by the Egyptian presidency.

"This effort must continue until enduring peace is achieved through a two-state solution," Sisi added,

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Wednesday expressed its strong support for the newly announced ceasefire agreement, along with the release of detainees, hostages, and captives.

UAE's Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan called for both parties to honor their commitments to the agreement, underscoring the need to alleviate the plight of Palestinian detainees and Israeli hostages.

Iran's Foreign Ministry on Thursday said the achievement of a ceasefire is considered a "historic victory" for the Palestinian people.

In a statement, the ministry extended congratulations to the Palestinian people and resistance as well as all supporters and proponents of the resistance axis in the West Asia region and the world on the ceasefire deal.

In a press conference on Wednesday in Doha, where the truce talks were held, Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani announced that Hamas and Israel had reached a ceasefire agreement in Gaza, marking a breakthrough after about 15 months of devastating conflict.

The agreement, which will take effect on Sunday, includes the exchange of hostages and prisoners and a return to sustainable calm that would lead to a permanent ceasefire in Gaza. Enditem

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