Kremlin Spokesman Says Russia Welcomes Announcement of Gaza War Ceasefire Agreement

A spokesperson for Russian President Vladimir Putin "welcomed" on Thursday an announcement of a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas a day earlier.

“Any settlement that would result in a ceasefire and end the suffering of the people of Gaza while helping ensure the security of Israel can only be welcomed,” Dmitry Peskov said in a conference call with reporters.

Peskov noted that Russia had not been involved in the negotiations and refrained from further comment pending the deal’s implementation.

The agreement has not yet been ratified as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said his Cabinet won’t meet to approve the agreement for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of dozens of hostages until Hamas backs down, accusing the group of reneging on parts of the agreement in an attempt to gain further concessions.