ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and seven other Arab and Muslim nations on Sunday welcomed Hamas’s response to US President Donald Trump’s proposal to end the war in Gaza, calling it a “real opportunity” to achieve a lasting ceasefire and address the worsening humanitarian crisis.
Trump unveiled his 20-point Gaza peace plan on Sept. 29, proposing an immediate ceasefire, the release of hostages, a phased Israeli withdrawal, Hamas disarmament and a reconstruction plan for Gaza under international supervision. The proposal has since drawn cautious support from several Arab and Islamic nations as a possible framework to end a conflict that has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians since October 2023.
In a joint statement released 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 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.”
“The Foreign Ministers reiterated their joint commitment to support efforts toward the implementation of the proposal,” the statement said, pledging to work for “the immediate end of the war on Gaza” and to ensure “unrestricted delivery of humanitarian aid.”
Palestinians inspect the site of an Israeli strike on Saturday, on a house in the Tuffah neighborhood in Gaza City October 5, 2025. (REUTERS)
The ministers praised Hamas’s announcement of its readiness to hand over Gaza’s administration to a transitional Palestinian technocratic committee, and welcomed Trump’s call on Israel “to immediately stop the bombing and to begin implementation of the exchange agreement.”
They also expressed appreciation for what they described as his “commitment to establishing peace in the region.”
The statement emphasized that the ministers viewed these developments as “a real opportunity to achieve a comprehensive and sustainable ceasefire, and to address the critical humanitarian conditions facing people in Gaza.”
It added that any agreement must prevent the displacement of Palestinians, guarantee civilian protection, ensure the release of hostages and allow the Palestinian Authority’s return to Gaza under a unified administration of Gaza and the West Bank.
Hamas, in its written response released Friday, said it accepted the release of “all occupation war prisoners, both living and dead,” under Trump’s proposed exchange formula, provided field conditions for implementation are secured.
The group also reaffirmed its approval to “entrust the administration of the Gaza Strip to an independent Palestinian administration (a technocratic authority) based on Palestinian national consensus and supported by Arab and Islamic backing.”
