US Sen. Sanders says Gaza ceasefire 'must hold'

By Diyar Guldogan

WASHINGTON (AA) - US Sen. Bernie Sanders on Friday urged that the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas reached earlier this week be upheld at all costs, as he condemned the role of US military support in fueling the conflict.

"Ten percent of Gazans have been killed or wounded — mostly women, children, & the elderly. The U.S. has sent $22 billion taxpayer dollars to facilitate Netanyahu's slaughter.

"This ceasefire must hold, the hostages must be freed, aid must flow and this horrific war must end," Sanders said on US social media company X.

A Gaza ceasefire agreement was reached between Israel and Hamas early Thursday in Egypt’s Red Sea city of Sharm el-Sheikh, mediated by guarantor states Qatar, Egypt, the US, and Türkiye.

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

Since October 2023, Israeli attacks have killed nearly 67,000 Palestinians in the enclave, most of them women and children. The relentless bombardment has left Gaza largely uninhabitable, leading to widespread starvation and diseases.

Israel has approved “phase one” of the ceasefire agreement, and Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya said the group received guarantees that the deal means the war in Gaza “has ended completely.”