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<p id="isPasted" style="line-height: 2;"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">ISLAMABAD: Western leaders including European Union (EU) chief Antonio Costa, former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, and the British government, have welcomed US President Donald Trump&#39;s Gaza peace plan, urging all sides to seize the opportunity to end hostilities, release hostages, and pave the way for lasting stability in the region.</span></strong></p><p style="line-height: 2;"><br></p><p style="line-height: 2;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">European Union chief Antonio Costa on Monday urged all parties to &quot;seize this moment to give peace a genuine chance&quot; after US President Trump announced his plan to end the war in Gaza, AFP reported.</span></p><p style="line-height: 2;"><br></p><p style="line-height: 2;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;"><strong id="isPasted">EU chief welcomes Gaza plan</strong></span></p><p style="line-height: 2;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">&quot;I welcome President (Trump&#39;s) plan to end the war in Gaza and I am encouraged by Prime Minister (Benjamin) Netanyahu&#39;s positive response,&quot; Costa said on X.</span></p><p style="line-height: 2;"><br></p><p style="line-height: 2;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">&quot;The situation in Gaza is intolerable. Hostilities must end, and all hostages must be released immediately,&quot; he added.</span></p><div class="fr-embed responsive-video"><div class="video-wrapper aspect-video"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-15" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-15&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1972775217429668333&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=afd23c9fa73d0b6fc1cfc140ce94704cdd1d8176&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="width: 550px; height: 416px; min-height: 0px; position: static; visibility: visible;" data-tweet-id="1972775217429668333"></iframe></div></div></div><p style="line-height: 2;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">&quot;</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">The Israeli and Palestinian people deserve to live side by side, in peace and security, free from violence and terrorism. A two-state solution remains the only viable path to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East,&rdquo; Costa said in his social media post.</span></p><p style="line-height: 2;"><br></p><p style="line-height: 2;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;"><strong>Tony Blair hails &#39;bold&#39; Gaza plan</strong></span></p><p style="line-height: 2;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">Tony Blair on Monday hailed as &quot;bold and intelligent&quot; a move US President Donald Trump&#39;s plan for ending the war in Gaza, in which the British former prime minister is due to play a key role, AFP reported.</span></p><p style="line-height: 2;"><br></p><p style="line-height: 2;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">&quot;President Trump has put down a bold and intelligent plan which, if agreed, can end the war, bring immediate relief to Gaza, the chance of a brighter and better future for its people, whilst ensuring Israel&rsquo;s absolute and enduring security and the release of all hostages,&quot; Blair said in a statement.</span></p><p style="line-height: 2;"><br></p><p style="line-height: 2;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">Under the plan, Blair is due to be part of a transitional &quot;Board of Peace&quot; in Gaza that will be chaired by Trump.</span></p><p style="line-height: 2;"><br></p><p style="line-height: 2;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">In the statement, shared by Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, the former UK premier further said about the peace plan: &ldquo;It offers us the best chance of ending two years of war, misery and suffering, and I thank President Trump for his leadership, determination and commitment.&rdquo;</span></p><div class="fr-embed responsive-video"><div class="video-wrapper aspect-video"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-12" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-12&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1972755811933020430&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=afd23c9fa73d0b6fc1cfc140ce94704cdd1d8176&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="width: 100%; height: 100%; min-height: 0px;"><span class="fr-mk" style="display: none;">&nbsp;</span><span class="fr-mk" style="display: none;">&nbsp;</span></iframe></div></div></div><p style="line-height: 2;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">&ldquo;In particular, his willingness to chair the Board of Peace to oversee the new Gaza is a huge signal of support and confidence in the future of Gaza, of the possibility of Israelis and Palestinians finding a path to peace, and of the potential for a broader regional and global alliance to counter the forces of extremism and promote peace and prosperity between nations,&rdquo; Blair added.</span></p><p style="line-height: 2;"><br></p><p style="line-height: 2;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;"><strong>Britain &#39;strongly&#39; backs plan</strong></span></p><p style="line-height: 2;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">Britain&#39;s government Monday threw its weight behind US President Trump&#39;s plan to end the war in Gaza, AFP reported.</span></p><p style="line-height: 2;"><br></p><p style="line-height: 2;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">&quot;We strongly support his efforts to end the fighting, release the hostages and ensure the provision of urgent humanitarian assistance for the people of Gaza.&nbsp;</span></p><p style="line-height: 2;"><br></p><p style="line-height: 2;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">This is our top priority and should happen immediately,&quot; Prime Minister Keir Starmer&#39;s office said in a statement.</span></p><div class="fr-embed responsive-video"><div class="video-wrapper aspect-video"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-11" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-11&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1972790227707232624&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=afd23c9fa73d0b6fc1cfc140ce94704cdd1d8176&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="width: 100%; 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Middle East

EU Council President Costa, Tony Blair, and the UK government welcomed President Trump’s Gaza peace plan, urging an end to hostilities, release of hostages, and a two-state solution for lasting peace and regional stability. 

Articles tagged with "UK govt"

EU Council President Costa, Tony Blair, and UK govt welcome Gaza peace plan