Hamas response to Trump peace offer encouraging, say Pakistan, Arab states
Term US president’s proposal a ‘great opportunity’ to restore peace in Middle East Seek measures to guarantee safety, security of civilians, facilitate release of hostages, and enable return of Palestinian Authority to Gaza.
ISLAMABAD – Eight-nation Muslim-Majority bloc yesterday jointly welcomed Hamas response to US President Donald Trump’s peace proposal to end the war on Gaza and initiate a comprehensive peace process, with a collective resolve to support international and regional efforts aimed at ending the ongoing war.
The Foreign Ministers of Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Pakistan, Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Egypt appreciated the steps taken by Hamas in response to President Donald Trump saying this gesture would ensure a lasting peace in the war-hit Gaza and its people, who are facing huge sufferings at the hands of Israel.
According to a joint statement issued through Foreign Office here, the ministers expressed support for Hamas’ decision to accept the framework calling for an end to hostilities, the release of all hostages, alive or deceased, and the launch of immediate negotiations on implementation mechanisms.
The joint communiqué also welcomed President Trump’s appeal to Israel to halt bombardment and move toward the implementation of the exchange agreement. The ministers commended what they described as the US leader’s “commitment to establishing peace in the region,” noting that the latest diplomatic progress offers “a real opportunity to achieve a comprehensive and sustainable ceasefire” and to address the dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
The statement highlighted Hamas’s announcement of its readiness to hand over Gaza’s administration to a transitional Palestinian Administrative Committee composed of independent technocrats, viewing the move as a step toward internal Palestinian reconciliation and long-term stability. The eight foreign ministers underscored the urgent need to launch negotiations to finalize mechanisms for implementing the proposed peace plan in all its dimensions.
They reaffirmed their collective resolve to support international and regional efforts aimed at ending the war on Gaza, ensuring the unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid, and preventing the displacement of the Palestinian population.
The ministers also called for measures to guarantee the safety and security of civilians, facilitate the release of hostages, and enable the return of the Palestinian Authority to Gaza as part of a broader framework to unify Gaza and the West Bank.
The joint statement emphasized that progress on these objectives should ultimately lead to full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, large-scale reconstruction efforts, and the revival of a credible political process aimed at achieving a just and lasting peace based on the two-state solution.
On the other hand, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s office, Israel is preparing for the ‘immediate implementation’ of the first stage of Trump’s Gaza plan, following Hamas’s response, to secure the release of Israeli hostages.
Shortly afterwards, Israeli media reported that the country’s political leadership had instructed the military to reduce offensive activity in Gaza.
