ISLAMABAD (TNS) Prime Minister of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif has welcomed Hamas’ response to peace in Gaza. The Prime Minister said in his message on ‘X’ that ‘Alhamdulillah, we are close to a point of ceasefire where we have never reached since the beginning of this genocide, Pakistan has always been determined to stand with the Palestinian people and will always stand with them. He wrote that ‘It is necessary to thank US President Donald Trump as well as the leaderships of Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Jordan, Egypt and Indonesia who met President Trump on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the UN General Assembly to resolve the Palestinian issue.’ Shehbaz Sharif wrote in the message that ‘The statement issued by Hamas has provided an opportunity for ceasefire and establishment of peace, which we should not let be wasted under any circumstances.’ He said that ‘Insha Allah, Pakistan will work with all its partners And will continue to work with brotherly countries for lasting peace in Palestine. Pakistan has welcomed Hamas’s response to the plan announced by President Donald Trump, saying that it provides an important opportunity to ensure an immediate ceasefire, stop the bloodshed of innocent Palestinians in Gaza, implement the release of hostages and Palestinian prisoners, ensure the unhindered provision of humanitarian aid, and pave the way for a credible political process for lasting peace. Israel should immediately stop the attacks. According to the Foreign Office spokesperson, Pakistan appreciates President Trump’s efforts for peace in Gaza and sincerely hopes that it will lead to a sustainable ceasefire and a just, comprehensive and lasting peace. Pakistan will continue to play a constructive and meaningful role in this process. The statement said that Pakistan renews its principled support for the Palestinian cause, and stands in full solidarity with the Palestinian people who are struggling to achieve their inalienable right to self-determination, for the establishment of an independent, viable and contiguous State of Palestine on the pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital, as stated in international law and relevant UN resolutions. It may be recalled that last night, after Hamas’s largely positive response to the global plan for peace in Gaza, US President Donald Trump had said that Hamas was ready for peace, Tel Aviv should immediately stop bombing Gaza. US President Donald Trump had announced on Friday night, after a series of rapid events, that the Palestinian group ‘Hamas’ had responded ‘largely positively’ to his 20-point peace plan, and that the group was ready for peace, along with calling on Tel Aviv to immediately stop bombing Gaza. Pakistan had actively participated in the ceasefire and peace efforts in Gaza last week, during which Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir also met President Trump at the White House. Later, the White House released the points of the Gaza peace plan, which Pakistan initially welcomed, but after learning of amendments to some points, it expressed reservations and made it clear that Pakistan would not accept the plan unless 8 amendments from Muslim countries were included. Two years have passed since October 7, 2023, when Israel imposed war on Gaza after a dangerous attack by Hamas on its citizens, in which more than 66,000 Palestinians have been martyred so far, nearly 200,000 injured, while Gaza city has been reduced to a pile of rubble, the United Nations and international organizations have declared the massacre of Palestinians by Israel as genocide.On the other hand, US President Donald Trump shared a copy of Hamas’ statement on ‘Truth Social’. Interestingly, there is no mention of Hamas’s condition of disarmament in this statement. Trump wrote that ‘Based on Hamas’ recent statement, I believe they are ready for a lasting peace. Israel should immediately stop bombing Gaza so that we can release the hostages safely and quickly.’ The situation is very dangerous at the moment. We are discussing the details. This is not just a Gaza issue but a long-needed opportunity for peace in the Middle East. However, Hamas leader Mahmoud Mardawi said that the US proposal is vague, lacking clarity and requires further negotiations. It is not clear whether the US or Israel will be ready for further negotiations. Hamas said that they value the efforts of the US President along with the Arab, Islamic and international efforts to end the war in Gaza, exchange prisoners, provide immediate aid, end the occupation of Gaza and forcibly evict the Palestinian people. The statement added that the group is ready to release all Israeli prisoners in accordance with the formula outlined in President Trump’s proposal, provided that practical conditions are in place for this. It also said that it is ready to immediately enter into negotiations through mediators to discuss the details of the release. However, a senior Hamas leader said that the handover of prisoners and bodies within 72 hours is a theoretical matter, not possible in the realities on the ground. He said, “We have agreed nationally that the management of Gaza should be handed over to neutral people and that it should be under the Palestinian Authority. The decision on the future of the people is a national issue, which Hamas alone cannot decide.” He added that the priority is to stop war and massacres, and from this perspective we adopted a positive attitude towards the plan. However, he said that Hamas will not disarm before the end of the Israeli occupation and that issues related to the future of Gaza should be discussed within a comprehensive Palestinian national framework, of which Hamas will also be a part. The group will negotiate on all matters related to itself and its weapons.US President Donald Trump has announced that the Palestinian group Hamas has responded “mostly positively” to his 20-point peace plan and that the group is ready for peace. He also called on Tel Aviv to immediately stop bombing Gaza. The announcement came after the US president gave Hamas an ultimatum to present its response to his plan by Sunday. Trump wrote on his social media website ‘Truth Social’ that every country has signed it. If this last-minute agreement is not reached, then a doomsday storm will erupt against Hamas, the likes of which the world has never seen before. Later, Hamas delivered its response through Qatari mediators, which President Trump also shared on his ‘Truth Social’. In the statement, Hamas said that it agreed to some aspects of the plan, including the release of Israeli prisoners in Gaza and the withdrawal of administration of the territory. It was ready to negotiate on other points, including the condition that the group disarm. The peace plan, also supported by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, includes a ceasefire, the release of Israeli prisoners within 72 hours, the disarmament of Hamas, and a gradual Israeli withdrawal. After that, an interim administration will be established, led by Donald Trump himself. Hamas political bureau member Muhammad Nazzal said that the plan has some points of concern and that we will make our position clear soon. The group wants to give a response that is in the interests of the Palestinian people.
