David Lammy congratulates Qatari PM on Gaza ceasefire deal

David Lammy has congratulated the Qatari prime minister for reaching a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel, as the deal is due to come into effect on Sunday morning.

The ceasefire is expected to come into force at 8.30am local time (6.30am GMT).

The Foreign Secretary wrote on X that he had congratulated Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani for what he called a “monumental diplomatic effort”.

“The UK will continue to work with regional partners to secure lasting peace for Israelis and Palestinians,” Mr Lammy added.

The deal was approved by Israel’s cabinet early on Saturday morning, and will mean a ceasefire in Gaza that would release dozens of hostages and pause the 15-month war with Hamas.

After weeks of negotiations in Qatar, officials announced on Wednesday that Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire deal – raising the possibility of winding down the fighting.

Under the deal, 33 hostages are set to be released over the next six weeks, in exchange for hundreds of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.

Hamas has agreed to free three female hostages on day one of the deal, four on day seven and the remaining 26 over the following five weeks.

Palestinian detainees are to be released as well.

Israel’s justice ministry published a list of more than 700 prisoners who are to be freed in the deal’s first phase and said the release will not begin before 4pm local time on Sunday.

Families of British hostages have been waiting to learn if their relatives will be released.

British-Israeli Emily Damari, 28, was kidnapped during the October 7 attack in 2023 and has been a hostage for 469 days.

Arsenal and Tottenham football fans united in support of Ms Damari at the North London derby on Wednesday.

London-based community protest group Stop The Hate shared footage of the night on social media, with the hope that “the next time we use the balloon it will be to welcome her (Emily) back at her beloved Tottenham”.