RIYADH: Saudi Arabia welcomed on Friday an agreement announced by President Donald Trump for Hamas to disarm and Israel to withdraw from Gaza.
The deal would see Hamas hand over its weapons to the Palestinian technocratic body set up to run the territory.
Under the 15-point roadmap, Israel will carry out a phased withdrawal from the areas under its control in Gaza.
Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry said the Kingdom welcomed the “historic agreement on the decommissioning of weapons in the Gaza Strip.”
“The Kingdom also emphasizes the importance of the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip, the deployment of an international stabilization force, and the continued, unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance and reconstruction support to the Palestinian people,” the statement said.
The ministry added that the successful implementation of the overarching Gaza peace agreement signed in September was based on the return of the Palestinian Authority to rule Gaza and the preservation of the unity of the territory.
Hamas officials said on Friday that the group had agreed to the deal, announced late on Thursday by Trump. Israel had still not responded on Friday evening.
Saudi Arabia’s welcome for the latest breakthrough in negotiations that aims to keep the Gaza peace plan on track was echoed by other international leaders.
European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the new disarmament agreement, if fully implemented, would be "a constructive step.”
"A lot needs to fall in place for this to work. Success depends on the full commitment of all parties. Verifying Hamas' compliance will be a significant challenge. Israel would need to eventually withdraw from Gaza," Kallas wrote in a post on social media platform X.
Kallas added that the EU was ready to support next steps.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on all sides to follow the roadmap "without any questions, scepticism, or determination to undermine it."
"Now is the time for both sides to implement what was agreed," he told reporters.
British Foreign Minister Ed Miliband said he welcomed the disarmament agreement and that the focus must now be on implementing the September peace deal.
“This includes the withdrawal of the IDF from Gaza, and respect for the ceasefire from all parties,” Miliband said.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said that now it was key that real progress was made and militant Palestinian group Hamas actually disarmed.
"Germany stands ready to support the people of Gaza with humanitarian aid and early recovery. Thus, additional crossings into Gaza should be opened without delay," Wadephul wrote on X.
