Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar welcomed a statement by Hamas opening the door to a possible ceasefire in Gaza. They called it a critical step toward ending the violence and achieving lasting peace.
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Shehbaz expressed cautious optimism.
“Alhamdolillah, we are closer to a ceasefire than we have been since this genocide was launched on the Palestinian people,” he wrote.
Acknowledging diplomatic efforts
Shehbaz thanked U.S. President Donald Trump and leaders from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Türkiye, Jordan, Egypt, and Indonesia. They met on the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly to discuss resolving the Palestinian issue.
“The statement issued by Hamas creates a window for a ceasefire and ensuring peace that we must not allow to close again,” Shehbaz added. Pakistan will continue working with partners and “brotherly nations” to seek “everlasting peace” in Palestine.
Call for an immediate ceasefire
Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar also welcomed the Hamas response. He called for “an immediate ceasefire, end to Palestinian suffering, ensure hostages’ release, and allow free flow of humanitarian aid.”
Dar reaffirmed Pakistan’s support for a two-state solution. He called for a “sovereign, viable State of Palestine on the pre-1967 borders with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital,” referring to East Jerusalem.
The statements come amid growing international calls to end the violence that has escalated since October 2023. The conflict has caused displacement and a severe humanitarian crisis, especially in Gaza.
Pakistan’s support aligns with its foreign policy and history as an advocate for Muslim-majority nations. The recent developments offer cautious hope for peace in one of the most complex conflicts in modern history.
Hamas 'conditionally' backs Trump’s Gaza plan
On Friday, Hamas publicly welcomed Trump’s call for Israel to halt its military campaign and expressed readiness for immediate talks on hostages and a ceasefire. While Hamas did not endorse all conditions—especially disarmament—it signaled willingness to negotiate under the U.S.-backed proposal.
A Hamas spokesman called Trump’s stance “encouraging” and said the group was ready to begin negotiations aimed at securing a prisoner exchange and Israeli military withdrawal.
Trump’s 20-point plan calls for a 72-hour timeline to release hostages, a phased Israeli pullout, and the removal of Hamas from governance. It also proposes a technocratic authority, led by Trump under international oversight, to administer Gaza during the transition.
Though Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said it was preparing to implement the first phase of the plan, fighting continued on the ground, with air and artillery strikes reported in Gaza City.
Despite divisions within Hamas over the proposal, the group later issued a statement supporting “lasting peace” and agreeing to hand over administrative control to a technocratic authority.
The move was welcomed by mediators including Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey, while the UN urged all parties to “seize the opportunity.”
The conflict has killed more than 66,000 Palestinians since October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched a raid into Israel that killed over 1,200 and led to the capture of more than 250 hostages.
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