PRESS RELEASE BY THE OFFICE OF THE DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER AND MINISTRY FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TOURISM Malta calls on all parties to safeguard the Gaza ceasefire

Deputy Prime Minister Borg welcomes Gaza Peace Plan as an opportunity to exit the spiral of violence in the Middle East

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism Ian Borg called on all parties to safeguard the Gaza ceasefire, as he encouraged the international community to build on the momentum of the Gaza Peace Plan to remain focused on attaining the two-state solution.

On Monday, during the October session of the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Luxembourg, the Maltese Deputy Prime Minister welcomed the recently announced Gaza Peace Plan, and the resulting ceasefire, while also commending the United States, Egypt, Qatar, and Türkiye for their mediation in this agreement.

“This plan is an opportunity to exit the spiral of violence that has plagued the people of Israel and Palestine, and to re-orient events towards a political horizon that charts a clear and credible pathway towards Palestinian statehood and the two-state solution," he emphasised.

Acknowledging that, as witnessed over the weekend, the situation in Gaza remains extremely fragile, Dr Borg called for the full and swift implementation of the first step of the Peace Plan, including the return of any remaining deceased hostages, the rapid deployment of safe and unhindered access to humanitarian aid to Gaza, and unimpeded access to humanitarian organisations, notably UNRWA.

In his intervention, he also encouraged the EU to increase its engagement, by monitoring and verifying aid delivery on the ground, by reaching out to Israel to constructively engage on the next steps of the Peace Plan, and by supporting the Palestinian Authority to conclude its promised reforms towards democratic legitimacy, while securing the resources required to assume its responsibilities.

“Security without governance breeds chaos; governance without humanitarian relief lacks legitimacy; and humanitarian aid without a secure, stable environment cannot be delivered effectively. These pillars must be advanced in parallel to prevent further cycles of violence," Deputy Prime Minister Borg added.

During the meeting, Malta also warned that the prolongation of Russia's aggression against Ukraine is threatening global peace and security, expressing full solidarity with Poland, Romania and Estonia, following Russia's latest violations of their airspace.

“We must double down on diplomatic efforts toward achieving a full and unconditional ceasefire," Dr Borg appealed, as he highlighted Ukraine's EU accession as one of the most powerful ways to ensure peace, stability and security across the European continent.