The European Union's foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, announced today, Friday, that the European Union has joined Egypt, Qatar and the United States in their call for a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip and the release of detainees without delay.

Borrell wrote on his account on the X platform: “The European Union joins Egypt, Qatar and the United States in their call to reach a ceasefire agreement (in Gaza) without delay, and to release the detainees.”

He added: "We reaffirm our full support for their mediation to end this vicious cycle of suffering."

He pointed out that "the agreement would also pave the way for regional de-escalation."

Joint Statement

A joint statement was issued on Thursday evening by the leaders of Egypt, the United States and Qatar.

The statement said: “It is time to immediately end the long-standing suffering of the people of Gaza, as well as the long-standing suffering of the detainees and their families, and to reach a ceasefire and an agreement on the release of detainees and prisoners.”

The statement added: “The three of us and our teams have worked hard for several months to reach a framework agreement that is currently on the table, with only the details of implementation remaining. This agreement is based on the principles that President Biden presented on May 31, 2024, and were endorsed in Security Council Resolution 2735.”

The statement stressed that "no more time should be wasted, and there should be no excuses by any party for another postponement. Now is the time to release the detainees, start the ceasefire and implement this agreement."

The statement continued: “We, as mediators, are ready – if necessary – to put forward a final proposal to overcome the gaps and resolve the remaining implementation issues in a manner that meets the expectations of all parties. We have called on the two sides to resume urgent discussions on Wednesday, August 14, or Thursday, August 15, in Doha or Cairo to bridge the remaining gaps and begin implementing the agreement without any further delays.”