Malta welcomed the ceasefire agreed by Israel and Hamas following weeks of violence in Gaza, Foreign Affairs Minister George Vella said.

He urged both sides to work on the agreement reached in Cairo to ensure a durable and sustainable return to peace.

Dr Vella commended Egyptian authorities for their perseverance in securing the open-ended ceasefire following various botched attempts.

“In the weeks ahead 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 said.

The minister will discuss the situation in Gaza with other EU foreign ministers during an informal meeting in Milan today and tomorrow.

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