Belgium welcomes Gaza ceasefire, but sanctions on Israel stay in place

BRUSSELS

Belgium welcomed the announcement of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, but Foreign Affairs Minister Maxime Prevot stressed Thursday that sanctions on Tel Aviv will remain in place.

Speaking on RTL’s program, Prevot said it is “far too early” to lift any sanctions, noting that some have yet to be implemented.

“Agreements have been reached. Just yesterday, for example, I was pleased to have finally closed the loopholes in the racket that existed for the transit of potential weapons to Israel. No more possible transit, no more dual-use goods that can be sent to Israel for military purposes,” he said.

Prevot said Belgium’s main priority is ensuring humanitarian aid access in Gaza, amid what he called an ongoing emergency.

On the potential recognition of Palestine, he noted that Belgium’s position depends on Hamas’s future role in Gaza. “The conditions were clear. On the one hand, the release of the hostages… and on the other hand, the fact that Hamas will not play any role in the future governance of Palestine,” he added.

In a separate post on the US social media company X, he described the ceasefire as a “crucial step” toward peace, lifting the aid blockade, and releasing hostages.

“I encourage all parties to maintain their efforts to truly seize this opportunity to move quickly on the path to peace,” he wrote.

The Belgian minister praised the mediation efforts of Qatar, Egypt, the US, and Türkiye and said Belgium is ready to support the plan’s implementation.

His remarks came after US President Donald Trump announced that Israel and Hamas had signed off on the first phase of a US-proposed Gaza deal.

The 20-point plan, first announced on Sept. 29, includes the release of all Israeli captives in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, a ceasefire, the disarmament of Hamas and the rebuilding of Gaza.

Since October 2023, Israeli attacks have killed nearly 67,200 Palestinians in the enclave, most of them women and children.

The relentless bombardment has left Gaza largely uninhabitable, leading to widespread starvation and diseases.

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