Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi/FILEKenya has welcomed the first phase of the ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel, describing it as a vital step toward easing the immense human suffering in Gaza.
In a statement on Thursday, Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Musalia Mudavadi said Kenya welcomes the agreement on the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, the withdrawal of Israeli forces, and the facilitation of humanitarian aid into Gaza.
“Kenya welcomes the first phase of the ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel, a vital step in easing human suffering in Gaza. Kenya urges all parties to build on this important breakthrough towards a lasting peace, anchored on the two-state solution as outlined in UN resolutions,” Mudavadi said.
He expressed Kenya’s condolences to families who have lost loved ones in the conflict, reaffirming the country’s solidarity with the victims and mourning their immeasurable loss.
Mudavadi noted that the accord aligns with Kenya’s long-standing and principled position, as articulated by President William Ruto during the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in September 2024.
“Kenya champions global peace and calls for a lasting solution that allows the people of Gaza, Israel, and the wider West Asia region to live in harmony and peace. The people of this region deserve stability, security, and a life of dignity and prosperity,” he said.
Kenya also extended its appreciation to the United States of
America, Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey for their instrumental roles in brokering the
ceasefire deal.
On September 13, the UN General Assembly adopted a draft resolution endorsing the New York Declaration on the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution.
The UNGA passed the resolution by a recorded vote of 142 in favour, 10 against and 12 abstentions.
The New York Declaration, circulated at a high-level international conference held at the United Nations in late July, sets out an action-oriented pathway toward a peaceful settlement of the Israel-Palestine conflict and the realisation of the two-state solution.
The draft resolution was introduced by France and Saudi Arabia, the two co-chairs of the conference, along with the co-chairs of its working groups.
The permanent observer of the State of Palestine, while thanking those nations that voted for the endorsement of that document, invited "the party that is still pushing the option of war and destruction" to listen to the sound of reason.
The peace option is for everyone who wants to have a two-state solution, and opens the doors for integration in the entire Middle East and allows the region to reach its potential in terms of development and cooperation, he said.
The representative of France said the declaration lays out a single roadmap to deliver the two-state solution, which he said involves an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the release of all the hostages.
It involves the establishment of a Palestinian State that is viable and sovereign, the disarmament of Hamas and its exclusion from governance in Gaza, as well as normalisation between Israel and Arab countries, he said.
