(L-R) Xavier Bettel, Luxembourg's Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs & Foreign Trade, Minister of Development Cooperation & Humanitarian Affairs; Yahya Shunnar, Governor of Palestinian Monetary Authority; Credit: MAE

Luxembourg's Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Minister of Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs, Xavier Bettel, made a working visit to Israel and Palestine from Sunday 9 to Tuesday 11 March 2025.

A press release issued by the Directorate for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs confirmed that this was Minister Bettel's fourth working visit to Israel and Palestine since the attack of 7 October 2023, demonstrating his commitment to peace and his willingness to contribute to the search for a solution to the current conflict.

On the Israeli side, Minister Bettel met with Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer. On the Palestinian side, Minister Bettel met with Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Mustafa and Palestinian Monetary Authority Governor Yahya Shunnar.

The central topics of the discussions were the ceasefire in Gaza and the release of the hostages. Minister Bettel took the opportunity during his various meetings to stress the importance of preserving the current ceasefire. In this context, he urged the parties to demonstrate responsibility and engage constructively in negotiating the subsequent phases of the agreement in order to help ensure its full implementation, with the aim of freeing the Israeli hostages and achieving a definitive end to hostilities.

Faced with the humanitarian situation in Gaza, Minister Bettel also expressed his concern over the decision taken by Israel to suspend all entry of goods and supplies (including electricity, oil and water) into Gaza, calling on Israel to respect its international obligations to ensure the full, rapid, safe and unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid to the population of Gaza.

In addition to the urgency of preserving the ceasefire agreement in Gaza, Minister Bettel reiterated the need for a lasting political solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, based on the two-state solution; because the peace of Palestine will be the peace of Israel, and vice versa, he said.

Minister Bettel also met with a local representative of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) for a discussion on the humanitarian situation in Gaza and the role of the ICRC in the exchange of hostages and prisoners.

HOM