Pakistan welcomes Gaza disarmament progress, backs peace plan

Pakistan on Friday welcomed progress toward implementing the disarmament process under the Gaza Peace Plan. The announcement came after U.S. President Donald Trump said mediators had reached a phased agreement with Hamas on disarmament.

What did Trump announce about Gaza disarmament?

Trump said talks in Cairo on Thursday between mediators and Hamas leaders produced a historic agreement for the phased disarmament of Hamas and other armed groups in Gaza. A Hamas official described the agreement as a draft, and U.S. officials said Israel remained skeptical that Hamas would surrender its weapons.

What did Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif say?

In a post on X, Sharif said Pakistan welcomed developments under the Board of Peace towards implementing the Gaza Peace Plan's disarmament process.

He said mediating countries, including the United States, Egypt, Qatar and Turkey, deserved special appreciation for their efforts. He also commended Trump's leadership, calling the development a significant achievement for the Board of Peace.

What is Pakistan's stance on a Palestinian state?

Sharif said Pakistan hoped the progress would lead to concrete steps on all commitments under the Gaza Peace Plan. He said the process should help realize the Palestinian people's right to self-determination through a credible, time-bound political process, in line with international legitimacy and UN resolutions. He added that this should lead to an independent, sovereign and contiguous State of Palestine based on pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.

What is the Board of Peace?

The Board of Peace was proposed in September 2025 and formally established in January. Under its charter, the U.S. government serves as its official depository, and Trump designated the Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace in Washington as the board's headquarters. A UN Security Council resolution adopted in mid-November authorized the board and cooperating states to establish an international stabilization force in Gaza following the October ceasefire.

Which countries are founding members of the Board of Peace?

Pakistan became a founding member after signing the board's charter on 22 January at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Other founding members include Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Albania, Bahrain, Belarus, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Egypt, El Salvador, Hungary, Indonesia, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Mongolia, Morocco, Paraguay, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the UAE, Uzbekistan and Vietnam. Originally created to oversee Gaza's ceasefire and reconstruction, the board's mandate has since expanded to peace-building in other conflict-affected regions.