MUMBAI (Reuters) -British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he welcomed the agreement on the first stage of U.S. President Donald Trump's plan for Gaza, urging that it must be implemented in full without delay.
Israel and Hamas said they had agreed to a long-awaited ceasefire and hostage deal, the first phase of Trump's plan to end a war in Gaza that has killed more than 67,000 people and reshaped the Middle East.
"I welcome the news that a deal has been reached on the first stage of President Trump's peace plan for Gaza," Starmer said in a statement.
"This agreement must now be implemented in full, without delay, and accompanied by the immediate lifting of all restrictions on life-saving humanitarian aid to Gaza."
Starmer said it would be a moment of profound relief, especially for the hostages, their families, and the civilian population of Gaza, and thanked the United States, Egypt, Qatar and Turkey for their "tireless" diplomatic efforts.
"We call on all parties to meet the commitments they have made, to end the war, and to build the foundations for a just and lasting end to the conflict and a sustainable path to a long-term peace," Starmer said.
"The UK will support these crucial immediate steps and the next stage of talks to ensure the full implementation of the peace plan."
(Reporting by Alistair Smout in Mumbai; Editing by Jamie Freed and Raju Gopalakrishnan)
