Top diplomat says Pakistan mulling sending forces to Palestine

Pakistan’s deputy prime minister and foreign minister, Ishaq Dar, said Tuesday that Indonesia has offered to send 20,000 troops to Palestine and expressed hope that Pakistan will also decide to deploy forces.

Dar made the remarks at a news conference in Islamabad after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif led Pakistan’s delegation at the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

He said Shehbaz held meetings with leaders from Australia, Kuwait, the United States, and several Arab and Islamic countries, where the Gaza crisis and humanitarian relief efforts were highlighted.

Dar noted that eight Muslim-majority countries, including Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, and Indonesia, have welcomed U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposal to end Israel’s war in Gaza.

In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of the eight nations praised Trump’s “sincere efforts to end the war in Gaza” and pledged to work constructively toward a final agreement. They said any deal must allow unrestricted humanitarian aid, prevent Palestinian displacement, ensure the release of hostages, guarantee security for all parties, and rebuild Gaza within a two-state framework.

In today’s press conference, Dar said Pakistan has suggested amendments to the 21-point U.S. plan released by the White House, which calls for Gaza to be temporarily governed by a technocratic Palestinian committee under an international “Board of Peace” chaired by Trump, with former British Prime Minister Tony Blair included.

He emphasized that Pakistan’s stance remains unchanged and that PM Shehbaz reaffirmed this at the UNGA. Dar said South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) members also support Pakistan’s position.

Without naming opponents, Dar criticized domestic political voices questioning the peace initiative, saying they were exploiting the Gaza tragedy for political purposes.

What is the plan?

The White House plan, released Monday, calls for Gaza to be governed temporarily by a technocratic Palestinian committee under the supervision of an international “Board of Peace” chaired by Trump and including former British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

The plan sidelines Hamas, entrusting the body with Gaza’s reconstruction until the Palestinian Authority completes reforms.

Blair’s proposed role has sparked unease, given his backing of the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, a war widely criticized for destabilizing the region and premised on false claims of weapons of mass destruction.

The plan comes amid mounting outrage over Israel’s assault on Gaza, which has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians and displaced nearly the entire population.

Israel says its campaign is self-defense after Hamas’ October 2023 attack that killed 1,200 people and took more than 250 hostages.

Multiple rights experts, scholars, and a UN inquiry say it amounts to genocide.

Broad support across Muslim world

The signatories reflect a diverse group, from Arab neighbors of Israel to Muslim-majority countries in Asia.

Some, like Egypt and Qatar, have played key roles in mediating during the conflict, while others — including Pakistan and Indonesia — are seeking deeper ties with Washington.

Saudi Arabia’s backing carries particular weight as Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have sought to secure a normalization deal between Riyadh and Tel Aviv.

Indonesia, which has offered peacekeeping troops for a future Gaza force, joined the statement along with Pakistan, whose Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had already praised Trump in a post on X.

Mixed reaction from Palestinians

The Palestinian Authority, long sidelined by Netanyahu, offered its endorsement of Trump’s efforts, calling them “sincere and determined.”

But Hamas, which has ruled Gaza since 2007 and led the armed resistance in the current war, said it had not yet received the plan.

Islamic Jihad, another group operating in Gaza, strongly rejected the proposal, calling it “a recipe for continued aggression against the Palestinian people.”

“Through this, Israel is attempting — via the United States — to impose what it could not achieve through war,” it said.

— With additional input from Reuters.