EU Welcomes Gaza Ceasefire Agreement

The European Union on Wednesday welcomed a long-term ceasefire in Gaza after the worst fighting between Israel and the Palestinians in a decade, calling for more talks to bring a lasting end to the conflict.

While praising the Egyptian government for its mediation efforts in bringing an end to 50 days of violence, it called for a "comprehensive and sustainable agreement" to follow.

"Simply returning to the situation before the latest conflict is not an option," said a statement from the bloc's diplomatic arm, the European External Action Service (EEAS).

"A sustainable agreement should address all the root causes of the conflict and bring fundamental change to the situation in Gaza."

The ceasefire deal agreed on Tuesday between a Palestinian delegation, including Hamas, and Israel provides for a simultaneous opening of border crossings to aid and reconstruction supplies.

The conflict, which began on July 8 when Israel launched Operation Protective Edge in a bid to stamp out cross-border rocket fire, cost the lives of 2,143 Palestinians and 70 on the Israeli side.

The EU said that "a durable peace can only be achieved through the resumption of the Middle East peace process, leading to a two-state solution".

It also called for an end to the Gaza blockade, a Palestinian government of national consensus and the cessation of rocket-fire from the Gaza strip.