Palestinians react to news of a ceasefire agreement with Israel, in Deir al Balah, central Gaza Strip, on 15 January 2025. Israel and Hamas agreed on a hostage deal and ceasefire. (Photo: EPA-EFE/MOHAMMED SABER) 
Pretoria has welcomed the fragile ceasefire agreement reached between Israel and Hamas on Wednesday, 15 January after 15 months of warfare that has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
In a statement, South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) described the ceasefire agreement as “a crucial first step toward ending the severe humanitarian crisis” faced by Palestinians in Gaza.
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“South Africa calls for the implementation of a just and lasting peace that ensures the human rights of both Palestinians and Israelis are protected and promoted.
“The ceasefire must lay the basis for a just peace which should include the establishment of a contiguous, independent and viable Palestinian state. Palestinians’ sovereignty and territorial integrity must be upheld. It is imperative that no land is annexed in either Gaza or the West Bank following the ceasefire, and that illegal settlement expansion is halted,” read the statement.
South Africa welcomes the ceasefire agreement reached between Israel and Hamas after 15 months of Israel’s genocidal onslaught on Gaza after Hamas and other armed groups launched an attack on Israel.
South Africa calls for the implementation of a just and lasting peace that… pic.twitter.com/L0KtbZig5B
— South African Government (@GovernmentZA) January 16, 2025
The department added that “immediate and massive humanitarian aid” was needed to provide relief to Palestinians in Gaza.
“All obstacles to the delivery of humanitarian aid must be lifted immediately and unconditionally, allowing civilians unrestricted access to essential food, water, shelter and healthcare,” it said.
Negotiators for the warring parties reached a three-phase ceasefire deal on Wednesday to end the war between Israel and Hamas, according to a Reuters report. The agreement was announced by the US, Qatar and Egypt, which collectively brokered the deal.
The conflict began in October 2023, after a Hamas-led attack on Israel killed 1,200 people and saw around 250 hostages taken. Israel’s subsequent military campaign in the Gaza Strip has killed more than 46,000 Palestinians, wounded over 100,000 and left much of the enclave in ruins.
Despite the announcement of a ceasefire agreement, Israeli airstrikes on Gaza have continued, killing 81 people in the past 24 hours, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
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The provisional deal is scheduled to be implemented from Sunday, 19 January, beginning with a six-week truce and the release of hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners detained by Israel, according to a Reuters report.
Israel’s Cabinet was expected to vote on whether to ratify the ceasefire deal on Thursday morning. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu postponed the vote, accusing Hamas of backtracking on some of the ceasefire’s provisions — a claim rejected by the group.
It’s unclear what impact the delay could have on the implementation of the deal.
Reactions from SA political quarters
In a statement on Thursday morning, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) said the ceasefire agreement was “a small but critical reprieve in Israel’s genocidal campaign against the Palestinian people.
“While the agreement, set to last 42 days, allows for the release of prisoners on both sides and the return of displaced people to their decimated homes, it cannot erase the devastating humanitarian crisis inflicted on Gaza.”
The party repeated its call for South Africa to shut the Israeli embassy in Pretoria and sever diplomatic ties with Israel, following a motion which was carried in the National Assembly in November 2023.
The agreement was met with cautious optimism by the Government of National Unity (GNU) partner Freedom Front Plus (FF Plus). FF Plus MP and national spokesperson Wouter Wessels told Daily Maverick: “The FF Plus welcomes the progress made with regards to a ceasefire agreement, and hopes that this agreement will be finalised and be adhered to by both sides.”
Wessels added that a ceasefire would be a step towards “finding a long-term solution to the conflict and ending the suffering of people on both sides of this war”.
Rise Mzansi national spokesperson Gugu Ndima said the party welcomed the announcement of a phased ceasefire and called on both Israel and Hamas “to engage earnestly for the sake of justice, lasting peace, and an independent Palestinian state. This is a significant, although delicate, moment in bringing an end to the decadeslong war, marked by an unfettered erosion of human rights.”
Reactions from local organisations
The South African Jewish Board of Deputies welcomed the announcement of a ceasefire and hostage deal, saying it hoped it would be “the first step toward ending the horrendous war in Gaza and the suffering that it has brought on all the peoples of the region.
“We acknowledge the efforts of the governments of Egypt, Qatar and the US in utilising their positions of influence to promote peace and seek solutions during these challenging times of conflict and division. Our hearts are with the people of Israel and all the families of the hostages as they anticipate the release of their loved ones,” it said in a post on Facebook.
The Palestine Solidarity Alliance, in a statement on Wednesday, welcomed the announcement of a ceasefire and demanded “accountability for the perpetrators” of war crimes in Gaza.
“This ceasefire is not merely a temporary halt to violence; it is an opportunity for survivors to mourn their dead, bury their loved ones, and begin the arduous process of rebuilding their lives and communities,” it said.
“Those responsible for war crimes must be prosecuted to ensure justice for the victims and to prevent further atrocities in the future.” DM