UK calls for Israel and Hamas to agree ceasefire deal

The UK’s foreign secretary called Friday for Israel and Hamas to “urgently” agree to a ceasefire deal, following a joint statement by the US, Qatar and Egypt calling for negotiations to resume.

“The UK welcomes the tireless efforts of our partners in Qatar, Egypt and the United States,” Britain’s top diplomat David Lammy said in a statement.

He added that London “fully endorses their joint statement calling for the immediate resumption of ceasefire negotiations and a hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas.”

Lammy argued “there can be no more delays, the fighting must stop now” while demanding “all hostages still cruelly detained by Hamas must be released.”

“We also need to see the urgent delivery of unfettered aid into Gaza,” he noted.

The foreign secretary said that it was in the “long-term interests” of Israelis, Palestinians and other parties to agree to the deal on the table “urgently.”

Israel confirmed late Thursday that it has agreed to resume truce talks on August 15 at the demand of the three mediators, as the regional conflict threatens to intensify.