Trump Says Pakistan PM Fully Supports His Gaza Peace Plan

US President Donald Trump announced on Monday that Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir have endorsed his "Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict" with full support, positioning them as key players in a burgeoning international effort to halt the nearly two-year-old war between Israel and Hamas. Speaking at a White House press conference alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump unveiled the 20-point proposal, crediting a coalition of Arab and Muslim leaders—including Sharif and Munir—for shaping its framework.

The plan, developed through consultations during the recent UN General Assembly, envisions Gaza as a deradicalised, terror-free zone, with immediate ceasefires, hostage exchanges, and reconstruction under non-Hamas governance. This endorsement from Islamabad marks a notable thaw in US-Pakistan ties, strained under previous administrations but revitalised by Trump's emphasis on pragmatic alliances.

Trump highlighted the collaborative nature of the initiative, thanking leaders from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, Jordan, Türkiye, Indonesia, and Pakistan for their "tremendous support". He specifically praised Sharif and Munir, noting their early involvement: "The prime minister and the field marshal of Pakistan, they were with us right from the beginning, incredible. In fact, they just put out a statement that they fully believe in this pact... they back this 100 per cent."

The remarks followed a September 25 White House meeting between Trump, Sharif, and Munir—the Pakistani duo's first joint visit since Sharif's coalition government took power in 2024. That session, which also covered US investments in Pakistan's agriculture, tech, and energy sectors, signalled a strategic reset, with Sharif inviting American firms to tap into untapped markets amid Islamabad's economic reforms.

The plan's core elements include an immediate suspension of Israeli military operations upon agreement, a staged withdrawal to pre-October 2023 lines, and the release of all 48 remaining Israeli hostages—living or deceased—within 72 hours of acceptance. In exchange, Israel would free 250 Palestinian life-sentence prisoners and 1,700 detainees from post-October 7, 2023 arrests, including women and children, plus the remains of 15 Gazans for each Israeli.

Post-release, Gaza's redevelopment would involve international oversight to ensure security, unrestricted humanitarian aid, and no forced displacements, paving the way for a two-state solution integrating Gaza with the West Bank. Trump stressed the proposal's feasibility, stating, "If both sides agree, the war will immediately end," while ruling out West Bank annexation—a concession to Arab partners. The initiative builds on a September 23 UNGA multilateral huddle with eight Muslim-majority nations, where Trump first tabled the ideas, drawing input on troop deployments and funding.

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Following the announcement, foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the UAE, Indonesia, Pakistan, Türkiye, Qatar, and Egypt issued a joint statement applauding Trump's "leadership" and committing to "positive engagement" for implementation. Sharif echoed this on X, welcoming the "20-point plan" and underscoring its role in regional stability: "Durable peace between the Palestinian people and Israel would be essential... I laud President Trump’s leadership."

Sources indicate Pakistan's backing could extend to joining the Abraham Accords, potentially normalising ties with Israel in exchange for economic incentives, though Islamabad has historically conditioned such moves on Palestinian statehood. Netanyahu, fresh from UNGA where he defended Israel's actions, called the plan a "path to greatness", aligning with Trump's vision amid stalled Qatar-mediated talks. As the proposal awaits Hamas and Israeli responses, it reflects Trump's deal-making diplomacy, leveraging Muslim-world buy-in to pressure all parties toward a breakthrough that has eluded predecessors.

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