Akshay DidwaniyaDonald Trump thanked Pakistani leaders during a press briefing after the White House revealed a 20-point peace proposal aimed at ending the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Trump Commends Pakistani Leadership for Backing Gaza Proposal
US President Donald Trump on Monday expressed gratitude towards Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief General Asim Munir for supporting the Gaza peace initiative.
Trump made these remarks at a press briefing following the White House unveiling of its 20-point Gaza peace plan, designed to end the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas militants.
Also Read Donald Trump Unveils Explosive 20-Point Gaza Peace Plan: What’s Inside?
Appreciation for Arab and Muslim Leaders
During the briefing, Trump praised several Arab nations, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE, for their advice and contributions to the plan, which the White House described as essential for building a “New Gaza.”
“I want to thank the leaders of many Arab and Muslim nations for their tremendous support in developing the proposal… My meetings and dialogue with Saudi Arabia, the Emir of Qatar, the UAE, The King of Jordan… President Erdogan of Turkey, President of Indonesia, we were together,” Trump said, highlighting the international cooperation behind the peace initiative.
Also Read Trump’s 20-Point Gaza Peace Plan: A Detailed Breakdown
Pakistan’s Role in the Peace Effort
Talking specifically about Pakistan, Trump said, “The prime minister and the field marshal of Pakistan, they were with us right from the beginning. They just put out a statement that they fully believe in this pact.”
He added, “It just came out as I was walking around. They (officials) said, ‘Sir you have a big notice from the prime minister of Pakistan and from the field marshal’ that they back this 100%.”
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif welcomed Trump’s peace proposal on X, emphasizing that lasting peace between Palestinians and Israelis is vital for both political stability and regional economic growth.
Also Read Trump Meets Arab Leaders: Any Resolution on the Palestine Issue?
What the Peace Plan Entails
If accepted by both Israel and Hamas, the plan would immediately end the Gaza conflict with the release of hostages and prisoners from both sides and demilitarization measures. Following this, Israeli forces would gradually withdraw, halting all military operations and freezing battle lines.
Hamas is expected to release all Israeli hostages, alive or deceased, within 72 hours of Israel agreeing to the plan. Subsequently, Israel would free 250 Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences and 1,700 Gazans arrested since October 7, 2023.
Trump’s Previous Remarks on Shehbaz and Munir
Earlier last week, Trump had lauded Shehbaz Sharif and Gen Asim Munir as “great guys” ahead of their Oval Office meeting.
“We have a great leader coming, the Prime Minister of Pakistan and the Field Marshal. Field Marshal is a very great guy, and so is the Prime Minister, both, and they’re coming, and they may be in this room right now,” Trump told reporters.
The high-level meeting coincided with the United Nations General Assembly, marking another key step in US-Pakistan diplomatic engagement. Sharif, accompanied by Munir, briefly traveled from New York to Washington DC for discussions with Trump.
Also Read Pakistan PM Sharif, Army Chief Munir in Exclusive Oval Office Talks With Trump
The BRICS Times
