World leaders welcomed the news of a hostage deal between Israel and Hamas on Wednesday after confirmation and agreement had been reached that would see Hamas release hostages in exchange for a pause in fighting and Israel releasing Palestinian prisoners.

US President Joe Biden said he was “thrilled” by the news, while also remembering those who lost their lives in Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack and the ensuing war.

“This deal will halt the fighting in Gaza, surge much-needed humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians, and reunite the hostages with their families after more than 15 months in captivity,” he said.

He added that he was also thinking of “the American families, three of whom have living hostages in Gaza and four awaiting return of remains after what has been the most horrible ordeal imaginable.”

Taking credit for the deal, US President-elect Donald Trump also welcomed the news in a post on his Truth Social platform, attributing the achievement to his “historic victory” in the November elections.

“We have a deal for the hostages in the Middle East. They will be released shortly. Thank you!” he wrote.

Trump’s regional envoy Steve Witkoff was a key player in the final days of negotiations as he shuttled across the region in a bid to seal a deal.

Trump added that “with this deal in place, my National Security team, through the efforts of Special Envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, will continue to work closely with Israel and our Allies to make sure Gaza NEVER again becomes a terrorist safe haven.”

US co-mediators Qatar and Egypt welcomed the deal and said they hoped it would lead to increased humanitarian aid in Gaza and a permanent end to hostilities between Israel and Hamas.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the deal was “long overdue” for the Israeli and Palestinian people who “have borne the brunt of this conflict triggered by the brutal terrorists of Hamas, who committed the deadliest massacre of Jewish people since the Holocaust on October 7, 2023.

“The hostages, who were brutally ripped from their homes on that day and held captive in unimaginable conditions ever since, can now finally return to their families,” he said, adding that he was also taking a moment to pay tribute to the British citizens who had been murdered by Hamas.

Starmer said the deal should be used to “allow for a huge surge in humanitarian aid, which is so desperately needed to end the suffering in Gaza,” and then lead to a two-state solution.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said the deal was good news and called for it to be implemented to the letter. “All the hostages must be released, and the mortal remains of the deceased must also be handed over to the families for a dignified burial,” he wrote.

He added that the deal “opens the door to a permanent end to the war and to the improvement of the poor humanitarian situation in Gaza” and that Germany would continue to work toward this.

French President Emmanuel Macron praised the deal in a post on X, saying it brought “immense relief for the Gazans, hope for the hostages and their families” after 15 months of an “unjustifiable ordeal.”

He added that his thoughts were with Ohad Yahalomi and Ofer Calderon, two French-Israeli hostages who remain in captivity. “The agreement must be respected, the hostages freed, the Gazans rescued, and a political solution must come,” he wrote.

Ursula von der Leyen, President of European Commission, celebrated the fact that “hostages will be reunited with their loved ones and humanitarian aid can reach civilians in Gaza.

“This brings hope to an entire region, where people have endured immense suffering for far too long,” she said. “Both parties must fully implement this agreement, as a stepping stone toward lasting stability in the region and a diplomatic resolution of the conflict.”

Spanish President Pedro Sanchez also wrote on X that he welcomed the deal, saying “It should put an end to the conflict, allow for the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza to be addressed and for the release of all hostages.”

“This agreement is crucial to achieving regional stability. It represents an indispensable step on the path towards a two-state solution and a just peace that respects international law,” he wrote.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s office said Italy “is ready to play its part, together with its European and international partners, for the stabilization and reconstruction of Gaza and to permanently consolidate the cessation of hostilities, also with a view to relaunching a political process towards a just and lasting peace in the Middle East.”

Mentioning the hostages briefly, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a statement on Wednesday that the deal needed to be used to remove “the significant security and political obstacles to delivering aid across Gaza so that we can support a major increase in urgent lifesaving humanitarian support.”

“This deal is a critical first step, but we must mobilize all efforts to also advance broader goals, including the preservation of the unity, contiguity, and integrity of the Occupied Palestinian Territory. Palestinian unity is essential for achieving lasting peace and stability, and I emphasize that unified Palestinian governance must remain a top priority,” he said.

He also expressed his hope that the deal would help facilitate a two-state solution and paid “tribute to the civilians who have lost their lives, including UN personnel and humanitarian workers.”

Saudi Arabia lauded the deal, urging a commitment to an end of Israeli “aggression” on Gaza, according to a foreign ministry statement.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he hoped the agreement would open the door for lasting peace and stability for Palestinians and the region. In a post on X, Erdogan also said Turkey will continue to stand with and support the people of Gaza with all its means.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi stressed the importance of a fast delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza after the deal comes into effect.