In a statement released on Thursday evening, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Nasser Kanaani welcomed the four-day truce in Gaza, describing the development as the first step in halting the “usurping and child-killing Zionist regime’s war crimes against the Palestinian citizens, women and children.”
Describing the truce as the result of over 45 days of indescribable resistance shown by the Palestinian people and historical perseverance of the resistance combatants, the spokesman said the development marks the first step to victory for Palestine.
He then noted that Iran will continue to make efforts, use initiatives and hold diplomatic consultations with various regional and international parties to support the oppressed people of Palestine and make joint efforts with the friendly and like-minded countries in order to take immediate measures to stabilize and stretch the ceasefire, stop the Zionist regime’s massacre machine, and provide urgent relief aid for the people of Gaza.
“The Palestinian nation proved that it will decide its own fate and the fate of its homeland either in the battlefield or at the political arena, and will show an appropriate and determining response to any plot or ill-advised, aggressive and short-sighted measure by the usurping Zionist regime and its notorious sponsors,” Kanaani added.
After prolonged negotiations and a delay of at least 24 hours, a four-day truce between the Israeli regime and Hamas took effect on Friday morning, with captives held in Gaza to be released in exchange for Palestinian women and children detained in Israeli prisons.
More than 14,800 people have been killed in Gaza in the Israeli strikes since October 7.
The Zionist regime intensified its attacks ahead of the pause in fighting, including an airstrike that killed at least 27 people at a UN school on Thursday.