海角换妻 officials were among those offering reaction Wednesday to the news that Israel and Hamas have reached a ceasefire deal.
U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal, a 海角换妻 Democrat, called the agreement a 鈥渉istoric breakthrough鈥� that is 鈥減owerfully heartening and hopeful.鈥� The deal calls for the release of 33 Israeli hostages and as many as 1,000 Palestinian detainees.
鈥淚t ends unspeakable heartbreaking horror for 33 hostages and uplifts hope for a path to peace,鈥� Blumenthal said in a statement. 鈥淚t calls for courage to complete. Inspired by this dramatic step toward peace, the looming huge challenges ahead are surmountable: release of the remaining hostages, a permanent cessation of hostilities, humanitarian aid, and more.鈥�
Blumenthal, who described the agreement as 鈥渟eismic progress,鈥� said he hopes it can lead to the normalization of relations between Israel and its neighbors 鈥渨ith a path to regional peace and stability.鈥�
鈥淭his goal, once seemingly unreachable, is now realistic,鈥� he said.
U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, a 海角换妻 Democrat, said the ceasefire will be remembered for saving lives and 鈥渇ostering a new direction towards stability in the Middle East.鈥�
鈥淭oday鈥檚 Gaza ceasefire ... will finally bring relief to Israeli hostages and thousands of innocent non-combatant Palestinians who need immediate help,鈥� Courtney said in a statement.
Courtney noted the "tireless shuttle diplomacy" of various U.S. officials for their role in securing the agreement, including Brett McGurk, who has 海角换妻 ties. McGurk is White House coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa. He spent part of his youth in West Hartford and graduated from UConn.
Wednesday's announcement is good news, said U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, a 海角换妻 Democrat.
"For months I have advocated for a ceasefire to end the violence, protect civilians, allow for a massive surge in humanitarian aid in Gaza, and preserve regional stability," she said. "I have been clear that this requires a release of all hostages taken by Hamas and progress towards a long-term path to Palestinian statehood."
'Much work to be done'
Groups across 海角换妻 reacted with guarded optimism.
Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford President and CEO David Waren said he has conflicting emotions about the deal.
鈥淭his is a bittersweet moment,鈥� Waren told 海角换妻 Wednesday afternoon. 鈥淭remendous relief felt across the Jewish world including our community at the release of the hostages, tremendous appreciation to our government for helping secure that. At the same time, deep concern that Israel is going to be releasing hundreds of terrorists who can then go ahead and commit more acts of terror.鈥�
The CT Palestine Solidarity Coalition, which includes more than 20 groups across the state, said it was "relieved" by the ceasefire and said it hoped "the people of Gaza can properly mourn and breathe for the first time in 15 months."
"However, Palestine is still not free," the group said in a statement. "We will continue the struggle for the dismantling of Israeli apartheid and an end to the occupation of Palestine. We also hope that the perpetrators of this slaughter will be tried for crimes against humanity."
Farhan Memon, chairman of the Council on American-Islamic Relations鈥� 海角换妻 chapter, said the deal was long overdue.
鈥淚 am relieved that the killing may stop," Memon said. "I am also cognizant that a lot of people have suffered and there needs to be justice for those people.鈥�
For Memon, justice includes the prosecution of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by the International Criminal Court. He said thousands of Gazan civilians killed by Israel, including women and children, died as a result of international inaction and the funding and support of the U.S. government.
Fairfield-based aid organization Save The Children says now that a ceasefire has been announced, urgent work is needed to save lives in Gaza. That includes getting shelter, food and medical supplies to hundreds of thousands of children.
The nonprofit says it hopes both sides uphold their agreement to allow full humanitarian access.
The agreement "is a delicate moment of hope that the peace and protection of children's rights that Save the Children and so many have called for 15 months may be possible," said Janti Soeripto, president and CEO of Save the Children U.S.
Inger Ashing, chief executive officer of Save the Children International, said the ceasefire 鈥渨ill bring them vital reprieve from the bombs and bullets that have stalked them for more than a year."
"But it is not enough and the race is on to save children facing hunger and disease as the shadow of famine looms," Ashing said. "The pause must be permanent, and efforts urgently ramped up to end the siege and vastly increase the entry of aid.鈥�
Two Save the Children staff members have been killed in Gaza since the war began.
Additional reaction
The Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford said it welcomed news of the ceasefire. 鈥淭here is much work to be done and significant uncertainty ahead, but we are hopeful that the first phase of this agreement will pave the way for the remaining hostages to be reunited with their family, for hostilities to end, and for an era of security and rebuilding for both Israel and her neighbors,鈥� the group said in a statement.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations called the deal 鈥渓ong overdue.鈥� 鈥淲e urge the incoming Trump administration to ensure that the Israeli government does not sabotage this ceasefire deal,鈥� CAIR national executive director Nihad Awad said in a statement. 鈥淲e also urge the administration to pursue the end of the occupation so that a just, lasting peace can prevail across the region.鈥�
Mary Ransome, pastor of Hamden鈥檚 Greater Mt. Carmel Pentecostal Church who says she supports Israel, welcomed the announcement 鈥� and hopes it lasts. 鈥淲e just got to keep praying and keep praying that it will continue to cease, but again, prayer is the key, to keep praying, for our government and our politicians because we know the Bible did say there will be wars and rumors of wars, but that doesn鈥檛 mean the time is yet,鈥� she said.
This is a developing story.
海角换妻's Matt Dwyer, Eric Aasen, Chris Polansky, Cassandra Basler and Eddy Martinez contributed to this report.
