The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine urged HAMAS to release the hostages: what is known about the situation in Gaza.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine called on the terrorist group HAMAS to lay down its arms and release the hostages. The civilian population of the Gaza Strip must receive humanitarian assistance as quickly and fully as possible. This was stated by the head of the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Andriy Sybiga, on social media platform X.

Sybiga's statement on the situation in the Gaza Strip

Sybiga emphasized that the inhumane treatment of Israeli hostages by HAMAS deserves the most resolute condemnation. 'People in the Gaza Strip should not continue to suffer because of the horrendous crimes of HAMAS. It must lay down its arms and immediately release all hostages,' the statement reads. The minister also added that a complete ceasefire should remain a priority.

It should be noted that on May 18, Israeli military announced the launch of large-scale ground operations simultaneously in the northern and southern territories of the Gaza Strip. This move marked a new phase in the escalation of the conflict, which arose against the backdrop of the failure of the latest negotiations with the HAMAS movement that took place in Qatar. On May 29, the United States announced that special envoy Steve Witkoff had conveyed a proposal to HAMAS regarding a ceasefire. It is known that Israel had previously supported and approved this initiative.

Andriy Sybiga called on HAMAS to lay down its arms and release the hostages, emphasizing the need to stop the violence and ensure humanitarian assistance to the civilian population of the Gaza Strip.