Singapore encouraged by Gaza deal, but lots more to be done especially if peace holds: PM Wong

AUCKLAND – While Singapore is encouraged by the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, there is still a lot more work to be done, particularly if the peace holds, said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.

“It is good that we have come to this stage, this first stage – but this is only just the beginning,” said PM Wong, speaking to the Singapore media on Oct 10 at the tail end of a six-day visit to Australia and New Zealand.

After days of negotiations, US President Donald Trump announced that the

first phase of a broad peace plan had been secured

between Israel and Hamas, in a major step to end a conflict that has killed tens of thousands of people.

The deal went into effect on Oct 10 after which Israeli troops

began pulling back from parts of Gaza

, which has experienced about two years of devastating war.

Mr Trump’s plan is also expected to see the release of all hostages, alongside increased amounts of aid entering the Gaza Strip.

PM Wong acknowledged the role of American leadership in the progress on the ceasefire, saying it “is and was vital in getting us to where we are today”.

He added that America is the only country in the world that has that ability to apply leverage and pressure on all the different parties – not just Israel and Hamas, but also the Palestinian Authority and Arab states – to come together and agree on a peace deal.

States like Qatar, Egypt and Turkey were also involved in the negotiation process.

However, continued American involvement and engagement will be critical to having continued progress on this road map and in the pursuit of a two-state solution, PM Wong said.

For example, part of the peace plan includes Hamas disarming itself and a transitional governance structure for Gaza.

“These are complex steps to take and eventually, of course, we also must ensure a clear path for Palestinian statehood, as part of a negotiated two-state solution, where both Palestinians and Israelis can enjoy lasting peace and security,” he said.

“Many attempts have been tried to resolve these issues in the past; they have failed, but we must never give up, and we must keep trying.”

If the peace holds, Singapore will do its part in the rebuilding of Gaza, PM Wong told the Singapore media. “You can imagine huge, tremendous efforts are needed to rebuild Gaza, and we will certainly look forward to doing our part in this process,” he said.

Already, the Republic has leaned forward to help with concrete, capacity-building support efforts.

More than 800 Palestinian officials have benefited from

a $10 million Enhanced Technical Assistance Package,

through training in fields such as public administration, digitalisation and public health.

More scholarships will be awarded to Palestinian students, alongside community policing and leadership programmes for civilians.

Singapore’s position is that it will recognise the state of Palestine when it has an effective government that accepts Israel’s right to exist and categorically renounces terrorism.

The next steps are unclear as Palestine’s next governance structure has yet to be determined, along with how the rebuilding process will take shape, noted PM Wong.

“But we have very good relations with the Palestinian Authority,” he said.

“We will continue to be in touch with them, with Americans and other key players in this process, to see how Singapore can play a helpful role.”

Hamas

launched its attack on Israel on Oct 7, 2023

, killing about 1,200 people and abducting around 250 hostages. Of the 48 hostages still held, 20 are believed to be alive.

Israel’s military retaliatory campaign in Gaza has since killed more than 67,000 people and much of the enclave has been flattened, according to the Gaza authorities.