Seoul: A South Korean civil rights group has said the Gaza cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas should lead to an end to the Israeli occupation in Palestine. 'We will keep a close eye on the implementation of the ceasefire deal and will stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people until there is a permanent ceasefire, until Israeli occupation forces completely withdraw from the Gaza Strip,' said Urgent Action by South Korean Civil Society on X.

According to Anadolu Agency, the civil rights group also stated that individuals and countries involved in the war must be held accountable for their war crimes. They highlighted that alongside other countries such as the US, South Korea exported nearly 8.5 billion won ($5.8 million) worth of weapons to Israel between January 2024 to August 2024.

The Israeli Cabinet recently approved the prisoner exchange and Gaza cease-fire agreement with Hamas, as announced by the Israeli Prime Minister's Office. This development follows Qatar's announcement of a cease-fire agreement between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas, set to take effect on Sunday. This agreement aims to end over 15 months of deadly Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip, which have resulted in more than 46,700 deaths, predominantly of women and children, and over 110,000 injuries since October 7, 2023.

The cease-fire agreement includes a prisoner exchange and a commitment to sustained calm, with the ultimate goal of achieving a permanent truce and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. The ongoing conflict has created a severe humanitarian crisis, leaving more than 11,000 people missing and causing widespread destruction. The crisis has claimed the lives of many elderly people and children, marking it as one of the worst global humanitarian disasters in recent times.