• PM says Palestinian group response to US plan creates window for peace that ‘must not be allowed to close again’
• FO asks Israel to immediately cease attacks, acknowledges Washington’s efforts for Gaza peace
• Trump claims ‘everybody will be treated fairly’

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Saturday welcomed Hamas’ response to US President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace plan, calling it a crucial opportunity to halt the fighting and revive efforts towards a lasting peace settlement.

“We are closer to a ceasefire than we have been since this genocide was launched on the Palestinian people,” Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif wrote on X.

The statement issued by Hamas “creates a window for a ceasefire and ensuring peace that we must not allow to close again”, said the PM, adding that the plan had brought the parties closer to a ceasefire than at any point since the start of Israeli aggression nearly two years ago, in which more than 60,000 Palestinians have been killed. The prime minister vowed to work closely with international partners to achieve a durable peace.

In a statement, the Foreign Office described Hamas’ response as “an important opportunity to secure an immediate ceasefire, end the bloodshed of innocent Palestinians in Gaza, release hostages and Palestinian prisoners, ensure unhindered humanitarian assistance, and pave the way for a credible political process toward lasting peace”. It added, “Israel must immediately cease attacks.”

The Foreign Office also acknowledged US efforts to promote peace. “Pakistan appreciates the efforts of President Trump for peace in Gaza,” the statement said. “We sincerely hope that it will result in a durable ceasefire and a just, comprehensive, and lasting peace.” The ministry said Pakistan “will continue to contribute constructively and meaningfully to this process”.

Hamas’ conditional acceptance of Trump’s 20-point peace plan, unveiled recently, has drawn cautious optimism from several countries. The plan calls for a ceasefire, prisoner exchanges, and humanitarian access, though critics argue it favours Israeli security interests and lacks clarity on Palestinian statehood.

Others praised Hamas for responding astutely to the Trump initiative and displaying diplomatic finesse. Pakistan’s latest response marks a shift back to support after earlier reservations about the final version of the plan. Pakistani officials had previously complained that the publicly released text differed from what was initially discussed among Muslim-majority countries, including Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.

PM Shehbaz had initially welcomed Mr Trump’s plan even before its announcement, but when a modified version was released, the government faced public criticism. Officials later said the final plan differed from what Pakistan had endorsed earlier. Hamas’ acceptance has provided political relief to the government, easing the pressure it faced domestically.

Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said Hamas’ move “must now result in an immediate ceasefire, an end to Palestinian suffering, the release of hostages, and the free flow of humanitarian aid”. He also called for an immediate end to Israeli hostilities.

Reaffirming Pakistan’s long-standing position, the Foreign Office said the country “stands in complete solidarity with the Palestinian people in their just struggle to exercise their inalienable right to self-determination”.

It reiterated Pakistan’s call for “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”.

Pakistan’s latest statements reflect optimism that the Hamas response could open a path toward ending the Gaza conflict while upholding the long-standing principle of a two-state solution.

Separately, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar held telephone conversations with Saudi and Egyptian counterparts to discuss regional developments and the Gaza situation.

World reacts

“Based on the Statement just issued by Hamas, I believe they are ready for a lasting PEACE. Israel must immediately stop the bombing of Gaza, so that we can get the Hostages out safely and quickly!” Trump posted on Truth Social. The US leader also said in a brief video message that “everybody will be treated fairly” in talks on the future of Gaza, AFP reported.

Qatar “welcomes the announcement by Hamas of its agreement to President Trump’s plan”, said foreign ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari, also expressing support for Trump’s call for an immediate ceasefire. Egypt said it hoped “this positive development will lead all parties to rise to the level of responsibility by committing to implementing President Trump’s plan on the ground and end the war”.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he believed Hamas was showing “as it has done many times before, that it is ready for peace”. The foreign ministry said the Palestinian group’s response “provides an opportunity for the immediate establishment of a ceasefire in Gaza”.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres “welcomes” Hamas’s response and “urges all parties to seize the opportunity to bring the tragic conflict in Gaza to an end”, spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.

“The release of all hostages and a ceasefire in Gaza are within reach!” French President Emmanuel Macron wrote on X, joining a chorus of hopeful European reactions to Hamas’s response.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the plan represented “the best chance for peace” in the conflict and that Germany “fully supports” Trump’s “call upon both sides”.

Britain’s Keir Starmer called Hamas’s acceptance “a significant step forwards” and urged all sides “to implement the agreement without delay”. “In light of Hamas’s response, Israel is preparing for the immediate implementation of the first stage of the Trump plan for the release of all the hostages,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said in a cryptic response.

“We will continue to work in full cooperation with the President and his team to end the war in accordance with the principles set out by Israel, which align with President Trump’s vision,” the statement added.

Published in Dawn, October 5th, 2025