Moscow, Jan 16 (AP) Russia's foreign ministry Thursday voiced hopes that the long-awaited agreement to pause the fighting in the Gaza Strip will help secure lasting stability in Gaza.

Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova praised "the patient and persistent work of Qatari and Egyptian mediators" who helped broker the agreement, noting that "at the final stage, representatives of the new American administration also joined the negotiating marathon".

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"We expect that the implementation of the agreement reached now will contribute to the sustainable stabilisation of the situation in Gaza and create conditions for the return of all internally displaced persons... and allow Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners released as a result of the deal to join their families," Zakharova said at a briefing.

She specifically mentioned Russian citizen Alexander Trufanov, who was held in the Gaza Strip along other hostages.

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"We believe that the conclusion of this agreement will contribute to the formation of the necessary conditions for establishing a process of a comprehensive political settlement of the Palestinian problem on a generally accepted international legal basis," Zakharova said. (AP)

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