European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen expressed her approval on Wednesday for the agreement brokered between Israel and Hamas regarding the release of 50 hostages and a temporary halt in hostilities in Gaza.
“The European Commission will do its utmost to use this pause for a humanitarian surge to Gaza,” she said in a statement.

Earlier, Israel and Hamas agreed to a four-day truce that would see the Palestinian group release dozens of hostages taken on October 7, both sides announced Wednesday.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet approved the accord after a near-all-night meeting, in which he told reticent ministers this was a “difficult decision but it’s a right decision.”

Hamas released a statement welcoming the “humanitarian truce”, which it said would also see 150 Palestinians released from Israeli jails.

The truce offers Gaza residents the prospect of a desperately desired, if brief, pause after nearly seven weeks of total war.