The Sovereign Military Order of Malta welcomes the announcement of an agreement for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. With the hope that it will be fully respected and enter the implementation phase, the Order of Malta looks forward to the swift release of the Israeli hostages and full and sustained access for humanitarian aid into Gaza.

The Order reaffirms its solidarity with the families of the victims atrociously attacked on 7 October 2023 and the families of the hostages. The population of Gaza has suffered greatly from loss of life, extensive material destruction of infrastructure and the economy, profound psychological trauma and the massive disruption of basic social services. The agreement should be rapidly implemented to enable the resumption of decent living conditions for the population of Gaza. To facilitate this, humanitarian aid should be immediately facilitated and intensified.

The Order of Malta also hopes that the agreement will be the premise for stabilization and reconstruction in the Gaza Strip. The Order will continue to make its contribution within that framework, particularly for children and the most vulnerable categories.

Since May 2024, the Order of Malta has worked with the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem to distribute 200 tons of food to over 25,000 civilians in Gaza City. The material and equipment needed to set up a primary healthcare facility are already available to provide medical services to the local community; that will be supported by locally hired personnel. Conditions on the ground should now allow the clinic to be opened as soon as possible.