KEY POINTS
- Eight Muslim nations — including Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Turkiye — welcomed Hamas’s response to Trump’s Gaza peace plan.
- Hamas agreed to some terms of Trump’s plan and sought negotiations for a final deal.
- The foreign ministers described Hamas’s response as an opportunity for a comprehensive and sustainable ceasefire.
- The ministers reaffirmed support for unrestricted humanitarian aid, no displacement of Palestinians, and a full Israeli withdrawal.
- Hamas negotiators travelled to Egypt to discuss the plan in indirect talks with Israel.
- The Israeli assault on Gaza since October 2023 has killed more than 67,000 Palestinians and displaced millions.
ISLAMABAD: The eight Muslim countries that worked with US President Donald Trump’s administration on a plan to end Israel’s “genocide and invasion” of Gaza have welcomed the “steps taken by Hamas” in this regard, according to a joint statement issued on Sunday.
On Friday, Hamas said it would agree to some of the terms in Trump’s plan, which was announced on Monday after a meeting between the US president and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Hamas stated that it would seek further negotiations to finalise a deal.
The Trump administration had worked with eight Muslim countries last month to bring the Israeli war in Gaza to an end. The Muslim countries see Hamas’s partial agreement to the plan as an opportunity for a ceasefire in Gaza after an onslaught of around two years.
“The Foreign Ministers of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, the Republic of Indonesia, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Republic of Turkiye, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the State of Qatar and the Arab Republic of Egypt, today welcomed the steps taken by Hamas regarding US President Donald Trump’s proposal to end the war on Gaza, release all hostages, alive or deceased, and the immediate launch of negotiations on implementation mechanisms,” according to a Joint Statement by the Foreign Ministers of Jordan, UAE, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkiye, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Egypt.
🔊PR No.3️⃣0️⃣2️⃣/2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣5️⃣
Joint Statement by the Foreign Ministers of Jordan, UAE, Indonesia, Pakistan, Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Egypt
🔗⬇️https://t.co/SFa0uPQo0J pic.twitter.com/ItVuNpVHlt
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) October 5, 2025
The foreign ministers of Muslim countries also welcomed Trump’s call on Israel to immediately stop the bombing in Gaza and begin implementation of the prisoner-hostage exchange agreement, the joint statement added.
“They expressed appreciation for his commitment to establishing peace in the region. They also affirmed that such developments represent a real opportunity to achieve a comprehensive and sustainable ceasefire, and to address the critical humanitarian conditions facing people in the Gaza Strip,” the Joint Statement read.
According to the Joint Statement, also posted by Pakistan’s Foreign Office on X, the foreign ministers also welcomed the announcement by Hamas of its “readiness to hand over the administration of Gaza to a transitional Palestinian Administrative Committee of independent technocrats”.
They also emphasised the need for the immediate launch of negotiations to agree on mechanisms to implement the proposal and address all of its aspects.
“The foreign ministers reiterated their joint commitment to support efforts towards the implementation of the proposal to work for the immediate end of the war in Gaza and achieve a comprehensive agreement that ensures unrestricted delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza, no displacement of the Palestinian people, that no measures are taken that threaten the security and safety of civilians, the release of hostages, the return of the Palestinian Authority to Gaza, unifying Gaza and the West Bank, reaching a security mechanism that guarantees the security of all sides in a manner that leads to the full Israeli withdrawal […] the rebuilding of Gaza and that […] a path [is created] for just peace on basis of the two-state solution,” the joint statement read.
Hamas keen to reach deal
A senior Hamas official, cited by AFP, on Sunday said the Palestinian resistance group is eager to reach an agreement to end the war and implement a prisoner swap with Israel, as negotiators converge in Egypt for talks.
Israeli and Hamas negotiators are set to iron out details during talks in Egypt in a bid to end nearly two years of war in Gaza, after Hamas approved a peace plan proposed by Trump.
Hamas negotiators travelling from Doha are expected to arrive in Cairo on Sunday before heading to Sharm el-Sheikh to participate in indirect negotiations with the Israeli delegation, the official said on condition of anonymity, as he was not authorised to speak on the matter.
“Hamas is very keen to reach an agreement to end the war and immediately begin the prisoner exchange process in accordance with the field conditions,” he said.
A Palestinian source close to Hamas told AFP that the two delegations would be in the same building but away from media coverage.
From Gaza war to Trump’s plan
The Israeli onslaught in Gaza began in October 2023 following an attack by Hamas in Israel. Since then, more than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed, thousands injured, and millions displaced.
Last month, UN investigators said that Israel was committing genocide in Gaza in a bid to “destroy the Palestinians”, accusing Israel’s prime minister and other top officials of incitement.
After multiple attempts to mediate a ceasefire between Palestine’s Hamas and Israel, a significant development came last month when Trump engaged eight Muslim countries, including Pakistan, to end the onslaught in Gaza.
Merely days later, the White House revealed the US president’s 20-point plan for Gaza. Simultaneously, Trump held a meeting with the Israeli prime minister and held a press conference alongside him, announcing his agreement to the proposal.
On Monday, Qatar and Egypt shared the 20-point plan with Hamas, following which Trump gave the group “three to four days” to accept the proposal or meet “a very sad end”.
Later, he gave Hamas until 2200 GMT on Sunday (3am PKT on Monday) to accept his plan for peace in Gaza, warning that the Palestinian resistance group would face “all hell” if it did not agree to the terms.
On Friday, Hamas — which had not been included in negotiations about the proposal — said it would agree to some of the terms in Trump’s plan to end the Gaza invasion, including releasing hostages, but avoided addressing more vexing issues like disarmament and said it would seek further negotiations.
Yesterday, Trump called on Israel to stop bombing Gaza immediately, and he believes Hamas was ready for peace. However, reports of bombing in Gaza continue to come.
Israeli forces to remain in Gaza even after deal
Israel’s defence minister, Israel Katz, said on Sunday that the Israeli army would continue its presence in Gaza even as the first phase of a US-backed peace plan moves toward implementation, Al Jazeera reported, citing Israeli media.
Katz added that once the plan is fully realised, Hamas will be disarmed, the Gaza Strip will be demilitarised, and the IDF will remain in control of key areas to protect communities. He also said he expects the initial phase to begin “in the near future.”
