MINSK, Oct. 14 (Xinhua) -- Belarus has expressed strong approval of the recent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, the launch of the initial phase of the peace plan, and the start of prisoner exchanges, Ruslan Varankov, spokesperson for the Belarusian Foreign Ministry, said on Monday.

Varankov expressed appreciation for the efforts of all parties involved in the complex negotiations that led to these developments.

He reaffirmed Belarus's consistent position that international disputes should be addressed solely through peaceful and diplomatic means, in full accordance with the principles of the UN Charter.

Belarus gives priority to any measures that alleviate civilian suffering and ensure unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance, the spokesperson said.

"We are convinced that a long-term settlement of the Palestine-Israel conflict is possible only on the basis of a two-state solution," he said.

Belarus recognized the State of Palestine in 1988 and continues to uphold "the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to determine their own future," Varankov added. ■