Islamabad, October 5, 2025: Pakistan and seven Arab and Muslim nations on Sunday welcomed Hamas’s response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace proposal, describing it as a “real opportunity” to achieve a lasting ceasefire and ease the deepening humanitarian crisis in the besieged territory.
Trump unveiled his 20-point Gaza peace plan on September 29, proposing an immediate ceasefire, the release of hostages, a phased Israeli withdrawal, Hamas disarmament, and a reconstruction program for Gaza under international supervision. The proposal has since received cautious backing from several Muslim and Arab countries seeking a framework to end the war that has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians since October 2023.
In a joint statement issued by Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the foreign ministers of Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Pakistan, Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Egypt said they welcomed “the steps taken by Hamas regarding U.S. 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.”
“The Foreign Ministers reiterated their joint commitment to support efforts toward the implementation of the proposal,” the statement said, vowing to work for “the immediate end of the war on Gaza” and to ensure “unrestricted delivery of humanitarian aid.”
The ministers also praised Hamas’s announcement expressing readiness to hand over Gaza’s administration to a transitional Palestinian technocratic committee, while welcoming Trump’s call on Israel “to immediately stop the bombing and begin implementation of the exchange agreement.”
They expressed appreciation for what they described as Trump’s “commitment to establishing peace in the region,” noting that the latest diplomatic momentum could pave the way toward a “comprehensive and sustainable ceasefire.”
“These developments represent a real opportunity to achieve a lasting ceasefire and address the critical humanitarian conditions facing people in Gaza,” the joint statement added.
The ministers stressed that any future agreement must prevent the displacement of Palestinians, guarantee civilian protection, ensure the release of hostages, and enable the return of the Palestinian Authority to Gaza under a unified administration for both Gaza and the West Bank.
Hamas, in its written response released Friday, said it accepted the release of all Israeli prisoners — both living and dead — under Trump’s proposed exchange framework, provided that suitable field conditions were in place for its implementation.
The group also reaffirmed its willingness to entrust Gaza’s administration to an independent Palestinian technocratic authority, formed through national consensus and supported by Arab and Islamic countries.
