ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Monday met in Egypt’s Sharm El-Sheikh on the sidelines of a world leaders’ summit on ending the Gaza war, where they expressed their satisfaction over the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in the territory, Sharif’s office said.
The United States, along with Egypt, Qatar and Türkiye, has mediated what has been described as a first phase agreement between Israel and Hamas for a ceasefire, which held for a fourth day on Monday, a mutual exchange of hostages and prisoners, an Israeli troop withdrawal from Gaza and increased humanitarian aid.
Egypt has said the peace summit aims “to end the war in the Gaza Strip, enhance efforts to bring peace and stability to the Middle East, and usher in a new phase of regional security and stability.” President Donald Trump will lead the summit alongside Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, with leaders from more than 20 countries in attendance.
Sharif, who arrived in Sharm El-Sheikh on Monday, held a cordial meeting with Abbas, during which the Palestinian president thanked Pakistan for its constant support to the Palestinians and their assistance on the political and diplomatic front, according to the Pakistan prime minister’s office.
“Both leaders expressed satisfaction with the ceasefire in Gaza and called it a precursor to peace in the region and the development of the Palestinians,” Sharif’s office said in a statement issued after the meeting.
PM Sharif paid a tribute to the brave people of Gaza for their courage and bravery in the face of Israeli aggression, according to his office.
Since Oct. 7, 2023, Israel’s war on Gaza has killed more than 67,000 Palestinians and injured over 170,000 others, besides displacing over 1.9 million people, according to Palestinian authorities.
The conflict has left much of the enclave in ruins and triggered a severe humanitarian crisis.
In a post on X earlier, Sharif called the signing ceremony of the Gaza peace plan at the summit “a crucial step toward lasting peace in the Middle East.”
“Today’s ceremony marks the closing of a genocidal chapter, one that the international community must ensure is never repeated anywhere again,” Sharif said, lauding Trump’s “outstanding leadership” for securing the peace deal.
“The brave and resilient Palestinian people deserve to live in a free Palestine, with pre-1967 borders, with Al Quds Al Sharif as their capital city.”
On Sunday, the foreign office said Pakistan hoped the summit would pave the way for the “full Israeli withdrawal, protection of Palestinian civilians, an end to their displacement, release of prisoners, addressing of the prevailing grave humanitarian situation, as well as reconstruction of Gaza.”
“Prime minister’s participation in the summit reflects Pakistan’s historic, consistent, and unwavering support for the just cause of the Palestinian people for their right to self-determination as well as for achieving lasting peace and stability in the region,” it added.
