Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday said that Palestinian group Hamas’s response to US President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace plan “creates a window for a ceasefire and ensuring peace that we must not allow to close again”.

Late Friday night, Trump told Israel to immediately stop bombing Gaza after Hamas agreed to release hostages and accept some other terms in a US plan to end the war, but vexing issues like disarmament appeared unresolved.

Subsequently, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said Israel was preparing for an “immediate implementation” of the first stage of Trump’s Gaza plan for the release of Israeli hostages following Hamas’s response.

Meanwhile, the world welcomed Hamas’s positive response, with Pakistan also doing the same.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the premier said: “Alhamdolillah, we are closer to a ceasefire than we have been since this genocide was launched on the Palestinian people. Pakistan has always stood by the Palestinian people and shall always do so.”

He also expressed gratitude to US President Trump, as well as the leaderships of Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Turkiye, Jordan, Egypt and Indonesia, for their efforts during meetings on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

The eight countries, including Pakistan, and the US had met on the sidelines of the UNGA to discuss the conflict in Gaza.

“The statement issued by Hamas creates a window for a ceasefire and ensuring peace that we must not allow to close again,” he said, adding that Pakistan would continue to “work with all its partners and brotherly nations to [ensure] everlasting peace in Palestine”.

Separately, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said that Hamas’s response was a “welcome step”.

“This must now result in an immediate ceasefire, end to Palestinian suffering, ensure hostages release, and allow free flow of humanitarian aid. Israel MUST immediately stop its attacks,” he said.

“We reaffirm Pakistan’s unwavering support for the Palestinian cause and a sovereign, viable State of Palestine on the pre-1967 borders with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital,” he added.

Later in the day, Dar held a telephone conversation with Saudi counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, wherein they discussed regional developments, particularly the situation in Gaza.

According to a statement issued by the Foreign Office (FO), they reviewed ongoing diplomatic efforts, including engagements and consultations among the eight Arab-Islamic countries and the United States in New York, aimed at “achieving an immediate and durable ceasefire, ensuring unhindered humanitarian assistance, and to secure lasting peace in Gaza”.

It added that Dar appreciated the Saudi foreign minister’s continued engagement and constructive role in these efforts.

“They also discussed recent developments, including Hamas’s response to the proposal of President Donald Trump. Both ministers reaffirmed their firm commitment to the Palestinian cause and agreed to remain closely engaged with Arab and Islamic partners, as well as the international community, to advance a just, comprehensive, and lasting peace based on the two-state solution,” it concluded.

Meanwhile, another statement issued by the FO also welcomed the Palestinian group’s response, stating: “This offers an important opportunity to secure an immediate ceasefire, end the bloodshed of innocent Palestinians in Gaza, release of hostages and Palestinian prisoners, ensure unhindered humanitarian assistance, and pave the way for a credible political process toward lasting peace. Israel must immediately cease attacks.”

In the statement, the FO appreciated the efforts of the American president for peace in Gaza and hoped it would result in a durable ceasefire and a just, comprehensive and lasting peace.

“Pakistan will continue to contribute constructively and meaningfully to this process,” it said.

“Pakistan reaffirms its principled support for the Palestinian cause and stands in complete solidarity with the Palestinian people in their just struggle to exercise their inalienable right to self-determination, leading to the establishment of a sovereign, viable and contiguous State of Palestine based on pre-1967 borders with Al Quds Al Sharif as its capital, in accordance with international legitimacy and relevant UN resolutions,” the FO said.

Additional input from AFP