GENEVA

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Thursday welcomed the agreement on the first phase of a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, voicing hope for a "just and lasting peace."

"The Government of Spain welcomes the news coming from the Middle East and trusts that this is the beginning of a just and lasting peace," Sanchez said through the US social media company X.

"Now it's time to engage in dialogue, assist the civilian population, and look to the future," he said, and added: "With hope. But also with justice and memory. So that the atrocities experienced are never repeated again."

His remarks came after Trump announced that Israel and Hamas had signed off on the first phase of a US-proposed Gaza deal.

The 20-point plan, first announced on Sept. 29, includes the release of all Israeli captives in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, a ceasefire, the disarmament of Hamas, and the rebuilding of Gaza.

Since October 2023, Israeli attacks have killed nearly 67,200 Palestinians in the enclave, most of them women and children.

The relentless bombardment has left Gaza largely uninhabitable, leading to widespread starvation and disease.