Pakistan says Hamas response to Trump’s Gaza plan creates window for peace

Pakistan on Saturday welcomed Hamas’s response to US President Donald Trump’s ceasefire plan to end the Gaza war, saying it creates a window for a ceasefire.

Trump, who unveiled his 20-point plan earlier this week, on Friday said he believed Hamas was “ready for lasting peace” and urged Israel to “immediately stop bombing Gaza” in order to secure the release of Israeli captives.

Hamas announced its willingness to release all Israeli captives, alive and dead, and to hand over Gaza’s administration to an independent Palestinian authority composed of technocrats. However, it stressed that the enclave’s future and Palestinian rights must be addressed within a broader national Palestinian framework.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said his country always stood by the Palestinian people and shall always do so.

"Alhamdolillah, we are closer to a ceasefire than we have been since this genocide was launched on the Palestinian people," he wrote on the US social media platform X.

Sharif praised Trump efforts as well as leadership of Turkiye, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Jordan, Egypt and Indonesia, recalling that the Muslim leaders recently met Trump on the sidelines of UN General Assembly for the resolution of the Palestinian issue.

"The statement issued by Hamas creates a window for a ceasefire and ensuring peace that we must not allow to close again. InshaAllah, Pakistan will continue to work with all its partners and brotherly nations to everlasting peace in Palestine," he said.

Earlier, the Foreign Ministry in a statement also welcomed the Hamas response and said its offers an important opportunity to secure an immediate ceasefire, end the bloodshed of innocent Palestinians in Gaza.

Malaysia also welcomed the Hamas response, with Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan saying the development is seen as a starting point towards lasting peace for Palestine and its people, state news agency Bernama reported.

“Alhamdulillah, we are grateful that Hamas has accepted (the plan), even if conditionally. This means it cannot be used as an excuse that Hamas has rejected these 20 points, to continue attacking Gaza and killing Palestinians,” he said.

Separately, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim confirmed that 23 Malaysians who were detained by Israeli forces after attacking the Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla have been released.

"Thank you to my close friend [Turkish] President [Recep Tayyip] Erdogan and fellow leaders of other friendly countries who helped facilitate the release of each activist and volunteer of Malaysia."

- Australia, New Zealand on Hamas response

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said his country welcomed progress on Trump's plan to bring peace to Gaza.

"We have consistently been part of international calls for a ceasefire, the return of hostages, and unimpeded humanitarian aid to reach those in need," he said in a statement.

New Zealand’s Foreign Minister called the statement by Hamas “a serious step forward” toward peace in Gaza.

"We continue to urge the parties to seize this critical opportunity to end the conflict and implement the terms of the proposal fully. This disastrous conflict must end," he said in a social media post.

Tel Aviv estimates that 48 Israeli captives still remain in Gaza, including 20 alive, while Israel holds around 11,000 Palestinian captives.

Since October 2023, Israeli bombardment has killed more than 67,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children.