UK hosts Arab ministers as 'crucial' hostage deal struck

UK foreign minister David Cameron on Wednesday met with Arab and Islamic counterparts to discuss how to secure the release of remaining hostages held by Hamas and to increase aid into Gaza.

Cameron earlier welcomed a truce deal between Israel and Hamas allowing at least 50 hostages and scores of Palestinian prisoners to be freed, while offering besieged Gaza residents a four-day truce.

"This agreement is a crucial step towards providing relief to the families of the hostages and addressing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza," Cameron said in a statement.

He later hosted foreign ministers from Arab and other countries belonging to the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in London to discuss cooperation on the ongoing conflict.

Discussions "focused on how to secure the release of all hostages, increase the amount of aid into Gaza, and reach a long-term political solution to the crisis", according to a UK government press release.

The ministers discussed efforts to "reinvigorate" diplomatic efforts towards a two-state solution.

"We discussed how to use this step forward to think about the future and how we can build a peaceful future which provides security for Israel but also peace and stability for the Palestinian people," said Cameron.

Foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, the Palestinian Authority, Turkey, Indonesia and Nigeria, as well as the Secretary General of the League of Arab States and ambassador of Qatar attended the event.

The delegation is visiting the capitals of UN Security Council permanent members, arriving in London after meetings in Beijing and Moscow, and with further trips to Paris and Washington planned.