ATHENS

Greece on Wednesday welcomed the deal on a humanitarian pause between Israel and Hamas.

“I would like to welcome today's agreement between the parties on a humanitarian pause in Gaza and the release of 50 hostages kidnapped following the terrorist attack of October 7,” said Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis in a statement.

He maintained that Greece had suggested and worked for a humanitarian pause and the creation of sustainable humanitarian corridors.

“In the implementation of the agreement, there must now be an immediate and unhindered flow of humanitarian aid and the provision of medical care to those in need, as well as an intensification of the effort for permanent peace in the region,” Gerapetritis stressed.

Early on Wednesday, the Qatari Foreign Ministry announced that an agreement on a four-day humanitarian pause was achieved between Israel and Hamas, with the starting time of the pause to be announced within 24 hours.

Israel launched relentless air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip following a cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas on Oct. 7.

Authorities in Gaza said Tuesday that the death toll from the ongoing Israeli attacks on the besieged enclave since then has risen past 14,100 people – including over 5,800 children and 3,900 women. The Israeli death toll, meanwhile, is around 1,200, according to official figures.