Murphy Statement On Ceasefire And Hostage Release Agreement Between Israel And Hamas

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, on Wednesday released the following statement on the ceasefire and hostage release agreement reached between Israel and Hamas:

"After the horrors of October 7^th and 15 agonizing months of war, this ceasefire and hostage release agreement between Israel and Hamas is overdue, great news. I deeply appreciate the negotiators' countless hours of diplomatic work to reach this agreement. It is a tragedy that it has taken this long to secure a deal whose parameters have been well known for months, but I am relieved that innocent hostages will be returned to their families and the suffering of millions of Palestinians can end as they start rebuilding their lives. This is the first tentative step towards peace, but there is still a long road ahead. I urge the new administration to remain actively engaged with all parties to support the ceasefire and ensure its phased and complete implementation to make it permanent."

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