NEW YORK: The United States and several Arab and Muslim-majority nations, including Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Turkiye, called on Friday for the UN Security Council to quickly adopt a US resolution endorsing Donald Trump&#39;s peace plan for Gaza. &quot;The United States, Qatar, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Jordan, and Turkiye express our joint support for the Security Council Resolution currently under consideration,&quot; the countries said in a joint statement, adding they were seeking the measure&#39;s &quot;swift adoption.&quot; Last week, the Americans officially launched negotiations within the 15-member Security Council on a text that would follow up on a ceasefire in the two-year war between Israel and Hamas and endorse Trump&#39;s plan. A draft of the resolution seen on Thursday by AFP &quot;welcomes the establishment of the Board of Peace,&quot; a transitional governing body for Gaza &mdash; that Trump would theoretically chair &mdash; with a mandate running until the end of 2027. It would authorize member states to form a &quot;temporary International Stabilization Force (ISF)&quot; that would work with Israel and Egypt and newly trained Palestinian police to help secure border areas and demilitarize the Gaza Strip. Unlike previous drafts, the latest mentions a possible future Palestinian state. Friday&#39;s joint statement comes as Russia circulated a competing draft resolution to Council members that does not authorize the creation of a board of peace or the immediate deployment of an international force in Gaza, according to the text seen on Friday by AFP. The Russian version welcomes &quot;the initiative that led to the ceasefire&quot; but does not name Trump. It also only calls on the UN secretary-general to submit a report that addresses the possibilities of deploying an international stabilization force in war-ravaged Gaza. The United States has called the ceasefire &quot;fragile,&quot; and warned on Friday of the risks of not adopting its draft. &quot;Any refusal to back this resolution is a vote either for the continued reign of Hamas terrorists or for the return to war with Israel, condemning the region and its people to perpetual conflict,&quot; the US ambassador to the United Nations, Mike Waltz, wrote in The Washington Post. &quot;Every departure from this path, be it by those who wish to play political games or to relitigate the past, will come with a real human cost.&quot; While it seemed until now that Council members supported principles of the peace plan, diplomatic sources noted there were questions about the US text, particularly regarding the absence of a monitoring mechanism by the Council, the role of the Palestinian Authority, and details of the ISF&#39;s mandate. The Russian UN mission said in a statement that its alternative proposal differed by recognizing the principle of a &quot;two-State solution for the Israeli-Palestinian settlement.&quot; &quot;Unfortunately, these provisions were not given due regard in the US draft,&quot; it said.&nbsp;

Middle East

Russian UN mission says its alternative proposal differed by recognizing the principle of a "two-State solution for the Israeli-Palestinian settlement."

US and several Arab states urge 'swift adoption' of UN Gaza resolution

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: T&uuml;rkiye is set to host a meeting of foreign ministers from key Muslim-majority countries on Monday to discuss a US-backed peace plan for Gaza, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said. A ministry spokesman confirmed that ministers from Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates are expected to attend. All seven countries previously met with US President Donald Trump in September on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York to discuss the same proposal, six days before Trump announced his plan to end the genocide in Gaza. AgendaAccording to Turkish Foreign Ministry sources, Ankara aims to secure support for Palestinians to assume control over Gaza&rsquo;s security and governance. The meeting will focus on implementing the peace plan and developing a unified strategy for future talks with Western countries, including the United States. Fidan told reporters on Friday that the Istanbul meeting would &quot;evaluate our progress and discuss what we can achieve together in the next stage&quot;. He has also accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of &quot;looking for a pretext to violate the ceasefire (in Gaza) and relaunch the genocide under the eyes of the whole world&quot;, AFP reported. Why the meeting matters for Gaza This gathering comes months after a fragile ceasefire was implemented in Gaza, amid ongoing concerns over compliance and aid delivery. Turkish officials say continued coordination among Muslim-majority countries is essential to address humanitarian needs and enforce the ceasefire. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, opening the new legislative year of the Turkish Parliament on October 1, said: &ldquo;Ensuring Palestinians get the lasting peace they deserve is first the duty of the Islamic world to Gaza, then the global community&rsquo;s. Parliament has passed the Gaza test with pride, in a manner worthy of our history and national character.&rdquo; T&uuml;rkiye is positioning itself as a regional coordinator on Gaza, enhancing its diplomatic influence in shaping the next phase of peace efforts.&nbsp; During a joint press conference with Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna, Fidan called the talks a significant step toward coordinated action among Muslim states, saying they &ldquo;offer a glimmer of hope for everyone.&rdquo; <div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1984271489412280448&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=de16e951bd8b1e692f123b708d389bc671f28f4f&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 552px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div> Expected OutcomesWhile no formal decisions are expected until after the meeting, Turkish sources and official statements suggest the following outcomes: <ol><li style="line-height: 2;">A joint communiqu&eacute; emphasizing humanitarian aid delivery and compliance with the ceasefire.</li><li style="line-height: 2;">A coordinated stance among Muslim-majority countries ahead of negotiations with Western powers.</li><li style="line-height: 2;">T&uuml;rkiye&rsquo;s possible participation in an international force to monitor ceasefire implementation.</li><li style="line-height: 2;">Reinforcement of T&uuml;rkiye&rsquo;s leadership role in regional diplomacy on Gaza. &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;</li></ol>The meeting is part of a broader diplomatic effort to support Gaza&rsquo;s stability, improve humanitarian access, and maintain international attention on the ceasefire process. Relations between T&uuml;rkiye and Israel have deteriorated during the Gaza war, with President Erdoğan harshly criticizing Israeli attacks on the enclave.&nbsp; T&uuml;rkiye also played a role in persuading Hamas to accept the US peace plan and has expressed willingness to take part in a monitoring task force. However, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said on Monday it would not be reasonable for them to let Turkey participate because of their &quot;hostile approach&quot; to Israel.

Europe

Türkiye aims to address Gaza’s ceasefire, humanitarian aid delivery, and implementation challenges of the US-backed peace plan, while exploring coordinated regional action and Türkiye’s potential role in monitoring the truce.

Türkiye to host Muslim foreign ministers to discuss Gaza's future

ISLAMABAD: More than 24,000 tons of UN aid have reached Gaza since the start of a ceasefire earlier this month, a UN official said on Thursday while calling for NGOs to be allowed to assist in its distribution. While aid volumes are significantly up compared to the period before the ceasefire, humanitarians still face funding shortfalls, the UN says, as well as issues coordinating with Israeli authorities. &quot;Starting from the ceasefire, we brought over 24,000 metric tonnes of aid through all the crossings, and we have restarted both community- and household-based (aid) distributions,&quot; said the UN Resident Coordinator Office&#39;s deputy special coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Ramiz Alakbarov. The World Food Program&#39;s Middle East regional director, Samer Abdel Jaber, said in 20 days of scale-up following the ceasefire, they &quot;have collected about 20,000 metric tons of food inside Gaza.&quot; Gaza is still in the grip of a dire humanitarian crisis following Israel&#39;s devastating offensive on the Palestinian enclave, which has left tens of thousands of people dead and reduced much of its critical infrastructure and housing to rubble. Looting in the coastal strip was also considerably down, Alakbarov added, easing the distribution of aid. &quot;I&#39;m very proud to say that 15 outpatient therapeutical program sites have been made operational, including eight new sites in the north, with a very commendable effort by UNICEF,&quot; Alakbarov said. &quot;The implementation of the 20-point (US peace) plan remains to be the central point and the central condition for us to be able to deliver humanitarian assistance in a holistic manner,&quot; Alakbarov said. He called on Israel to allow NGOs to participate in the delivery of aid in Gaza. &quot;The persisting issue of registration of NGOs remains a bottleneck issue. We continue to emphasize the essential role of NGOs and national NGOs, which they play in humanitarian operations in Gaza, and we have escalated this now,&quot; he said. The US military has set up a coordination center in southern Israel to monitor the ceasefire and to coordinate aid and reconstruction, but aid agencies are pushing for greater access for humanitarian convoys inside Gaza. Israel has withdrawn its forces from Gaza&#39;s main cities, but still controls around half of the territory from positions on the Yellow Line, and has resisted calls to allow aid through the Rafah border crossing with Egypt. &quot;The good news is that because of the US brokered ceasefire, we are now getting in a lot more aid than we were able to get in before, we are scaling up as part of our 60-day, life-saving plan,&quot; said UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher in a pre-recorded message. &quot;This is real progress, but it&#39;s a drop in the ocean. It&#39;s just a start of what we&#39;re going to need to do,&quot; Fletcher said that only one-third of the $4 billion flash appeal has been funded.

While aid volumes are significantly up compared to the period before the ceasefire, humanitarians still face funding shortfalls, the UN says, as well as issues coordinating with Israeli authorities.

Gaza aid rising post-ceasefire, NGO access still insufficient: UN

ISLAMABAD: Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad of Pakistan has called for an immediate, unconditional, and permanent ceasefire across all Occupied Palestinian Territories, along with the lifting of the blockade to ensure unfettered humanitarian access. Ambassador Ahmad, Pakistan&#39;s permanent representative to the UN, stated this in a speech at the UN General Assembly &ndash; Veto Debate (Palestinian Question) on October 1, 2025, according to a post shared by the Permanent Mission of Pakistan to the UN on its official X handle. &lsquo;Truth is stark&rsquo;In his statement, Pakistan&rsquo;s ambassador, while highlighting the plight of Palestinians, said, &ldquo;The truth is stark. Gaza has been pulverized. Families huddle under broken concrete, searching for children who will never return. Hunger stalks every street; famine has already taken hold in Gaza City and threatens to engulf Khan Younis and Deir al-Balah.&rdquo;<div class="fr-embed responsive-video"><div class="video-wrapper aspect-video"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-7" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-7&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1973550763587596722&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2Fnew%2F&sessionId=12a429ca929eb615d422aa88b9d67c5c17cea9fa&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="width: 550px; height: 743px; min-height: 0px; position: static; visibility: visible;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div></div>&ldquo;More than 66,000 Palestinians &mdash; the vast majority women and children &mdash; have been killed. Homes, schools, and hospitals have been deliberately wiped out. This is not war. It is the erasure of a people&rsquo;s future. Israel, the occupying power, must be held fully accountable,&rdquo; he stated. Anguish and concern&nbsp;He said, &ldquo;We align ourselves with the statement delivered by the Permanent Representative of Denmark on behalf of the 10 elected members of the Security Council, including Pakistan, who jointly tabled the draft resolution that was vetoed. And that is the reason we are here. We greatly appreciate the role played by Denmark in coordinating the E-10.&rdquo; Expressing anguish and deep concern at the Security Council&rsquo;s failure to act, he stated that &ldquo;a resolution intended to halt the carnage and deliver humanitarian relief was blocked &mdash; leaving millions to their unfortunate fate.&rdquo; Ambassador Asim said for the elected 10 members of the Council, this was not routine diplomacy. It was an urgent effort to answer the cries of a people trapped in bombing, rubble, famine, and despair. The failure to move forward was bitterly disappointing. &ldquo;But paralysis in one chamber must not mean incapacity across the United Nations and the international community,&rdquo; he added. &lsquo;Cautiously but sincerely&rsquo;&nbsp;The ambassador stated that the recent consultations held by President Trump with Arab and OIC leaders, as well as the announcement of a US plan, are noteworthy developments that have been widely welcomed. &ldquo;We hope &mdash; cautiously but sincerely, that such initiatives can help deliver what is most urgently needed: an immediate ceasefire, an end to the war, unfettered humanitarian assistance, and, above all, a credible political horizon towards Palestinian statehood,&rdquo; he added. Pakistan, as part of these consultations, will work to ensure that efforts are judged not by promises, but by results: stopping the killing, ending the occupation, reuniting families, rebuilding Gaza, and guaranteeing protection and dignity to the Palestinian people, the Pakistani envoy stressed. Joint statement&nbsp;The ambassador, regarding the recently released joint statement, stated: &ldquo;Let me note in this regard, that in a Joint Statement, the Foreign Ministers of Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Pakistan, T&uuml;rkiye, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Egypt welcomed President Trump&rsquo;s efforts, including his announcement that he would not allow the annexation of the West Bank, and reaffirmed their joint commitment to work with the United States to end the war in Gaza through a comprehensive deal, one that ensures unrestricted delivery of sufficient humanitarian aid, prevents displacement of the Palestinians, secures the release of hostages, achieves full Israeli withdrawal, rebuilds Gaza, and creates a path for a just peace based on the two-state solution, under which Gaza is fully integrated with the West Bank in a Palestinian state in accordance with international law, as key to achieving regional stability and security.&rdquo; Five urgent calls&nbsp;Ambassador Ahmad added: In line with these commitments, today, from this podium, we make five urgent calls: i. An immediate, unconditional, and permanent ceasefire across all Occupied Palestinian Territories; ii. The lifting of the blockade and unfettered humanitarian access; iii. The release of all hostages and Palestinian prisoners; iv. A complete end to forced displacement, settlements, and any designs for annexation; v. A credible, time-bound political process in line with international legitimacy, to establish an independent, sovereign, and contiguous State of Palestine, based on the pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital. &ldquo;Pakistan will remain steadfast in solidarity with the Palestinian people,&rdquo; the Pakistani ambassador stated.

Ambassador Ahmad issues five urgent calls: a permanent ceasefire, lifting the blockade, release of hostages and prisoners, ending displacement and annexation, and a political process for a sovereign Palestinian state based on pre-1967 borders.

Pakistan urges immediate ceasefire, end to Gaza blockade at UN 

ISLAMABAD: Jordan, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Indonesia, Pakistan, T&uuml;rkiye, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Egypt have welcomed US President Donald J Trump&rsquo;s efforts to end the war in Gaza. The foreign ministers of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, the Republic of Indonesia, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Republic of T&uuml;rkiye, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the State of Qatar, and the Arab Republic of Egypt welcome President Donald J Trump&rsquo;s leadership and his sincere efforts to end the war in Gaza, and assert their confidence in his ability to find a path to peace, said a statement released by Pakistan&rsquo;s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday. Proposal welcomed&nbsp;They emphasize the importance of the partnership with the United States in securing peace in the region.<div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1972771519580569863&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=afd23c9fa73d0b6fc1cfc140ce94704cdd1d8176&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="width: 100%; height: 100%; min-height: 0px;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div> Along these lines, the ministers welcomed the announcement by President Trump regarding his proposal to end the war, rebuild Gaza, prevent the displacement of the Palestinian people and advance a comprehensive peace, as well as his announcement that he will not allow the annexation of the West Bank, the statement said. The ministers affirmed their readiness to engage positively and constructively with the United States and the parties toward finalizing the agreement and ensuring its implementation, in a manner that ensures peace, security, and stability for the peoples of the region. Commitment reaffirmed&nbsp;They reaffirmed their joint commitment to work with the United States to end the war in Gaza through a comprehensive deal that ensures unrestricted delivery of sufficient humanitarian aid to Gaza, no displacement of the Palestinians, the release of hostages, a security mechanism that guarantees the security of all sides, full Israeli withdrawal, rebuilds Gaza and creates a path for a just peace on the basis of the two state solution, under which Gaza is fully integrated with the West Bank in a Palestinian state in accordance with international law as key to achieving regional stability and security, the statement concluded. Foreign ministries of countries such as Saudi Arabia and others also shared the joint statement on their official social media accounts.<div class="fr-embed responsive-video"><div class="video-wrapper aspect-video"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-5" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-5&features=eyJ0ZndfdGltZWxpbmVfbGlzdCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOltdLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X2ZvbGxvd2VyX2NvdW50X3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9iYWNrZW5kIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19yZWZzcmNfc2Vzc2lvbiI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZm9zbnJfc29mdF9pbnRlcnZlbnRpb25zX2VuYWJsZWQiOnsiYnVja2V0Ijoib24iLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X21peGVkX21lZGlhXzE1ODk3Ijp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRyZWF0bWVudCIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZXhwZXJpbWVudHNfY29va2llX2V4cGlyYXRpb24iOnsiYnVja2V0IjoxMjA5NjAwLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X3Nob3dfYmlyZHdhdGNoX3Bpdm90c19lbmFibGVkIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19kdXBsaWNhdGVfc2NyaWJlc190b19zZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdXNlX3Byb2ZpbGVfaW1hZ2Vfc2hhcGVfZW5hYmxlZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdmlkZW9faGxzX2R5bmFtaWNfbWFuaWZlc3RzXzE1MDgyIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRydWVfYml0cmF0ZSIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfbGVnYWN5X3RpbWVsaW5lX3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9mcm9udGVuZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9fQ%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1972764596948947367&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=afd23c9fa73d0b6fc1cfc140ce94704cdd1d8176&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="width: 550px; height: 777px; min-height: 0px; position: static; visibility: visible;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div></div> Among other countries who have welcomed Trump&#39;s peace plan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Qatar, too shared the joint statement on its official X handle.&nbsp; Separately, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said Pakistan was extremely grateful to the countries involved in the joint efforts through several rounds of deliberations with President Trump.&nbsp; We deeply value the US president and his team&rsquo;s focused engagement with Arab-Islamic leaders to halt the suffering in Gaza through an immediate ceasefire, unhindered flow of humanitarian aid, and by opening a path towards peace and reconstruction, Dar said in a post on X. &quot;Pakistan remains firmly committed to working alongside brotherly countries and the United States to advance these shared goals and to support a just and lasting peace for the Palestinian people &mdash; with the goal of an independent and sovereign State of Palestine,&quot; he added. <div class="fr-embed responsive-video"><div class="video-wrapper aspect-video">&nbsp; &nbsp; <div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-4" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-4&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1972770277319954465&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=afd23c9fa73d0b6fc1cfc140ce94704cdd1d8176&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="width: 100%; height: 100%; min-height: 0px;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div></div>

Americas

Muslim countries, including Pakistan, welcomed President Trump’s Gaza peace plan, praising his leadership. They support US efforts for a two-state solution, rebuilding Gaza, preventing displacement, ensuring security, and achieving lasting regional peace and stability.

Pakistan, other Muslim countries welcome President Trump’s Gaza peace plan  

WASHINGTON: After days of speculation, the White House on Monday released a 20-point plan for ending the nearly two-year war in Gaza, releasing hostages held by Hamas, and outlining Gaza&rsquo;s future. Speaking alongside President Donald Trump at the White House, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave cautious backing to plan. Here is the plan, as released by the White House: 1. Gaza will be a deradicalized terror-free zone that does not pose a threat to its neighbors. 2. Gaza will be redeveloped for the benefit of the people of Gaza, who have suffered more than enough. 3. If both sides agree to this proposal,&nbsp;the war will immediately end. Israeli forces will withdraw to the agreed upon line to prepare for a hostage release. During this time, all military operations, including aerial and artillery bombardment, will be suspended, and battle lines will remain frozen until conditions are met for the complete staged withdrawal. 4. Within 72 hours of Israel publicly accepting this agreement, all hostages, alive and deceased, will be returned. 5. Once all hostages are released, Israel will release 250 life sentence prisoners plus 1,700 Gazans who were detained after October 7th&nbsp;2023, including all women and children detained in that context. For every Israeli hostage whose remains are released, Israel will release the remains of 15 deceased Gazans. 6. Once all hostages are returned, Hamas members who commit to peaceful co-existence and to decommission their weapons will be given amnesty. Members of Hamas who wish to leave Gaza will be provided safe passage to receiving countries. 7. Upon acceptance of this agreement, full aid will be immediately sent into the Gaza Strip. At a minimum, aid quantities will be consistent with what was included in the January 19, 2025, agreement regarding humanitarian aid, including rehabilitation of infrastructure (water, electricity, sewage), rehabilitation of hospitals and bakeries, and entry of necessary equipment to remove rubble and open roads. 8. Entry of distribution and aid in the Gaza Strip will proceed without interference from the two parties through the United Nations and its agencies, and the Red Crescent, in addition to other international institutions not associated in any manner with either party. Opening the Rafah crossing in both directions will be subject to the same mechanism implemented under the January 19, 2025 agreement. 9. Gaza will be governed under the temporary transitional governance of a technocratic, apolitical Palestinian committee, responsible for delivering the day-to-day running of public services and municipalities for the people in Gaza. This committee will be made up of qualified Palestinians and international experts, with oversight and supervision by a new international transitional body, the &ldquo;Board of Peace,&rdquo; which will be headed and chaired by President Donald J. Trump, with other members and heads of State to be announced, including Former Prime Minister Tony Blair. This body will set the framework and handle the funding for the redevelopment of Gaza until such time as the Palestinian Authority has completed its reform program, as outlined in various proposals, including President Trump&rsquo;s peace plan in 2020 and the Saudi-French proposal, and can securely and effectively take back control of Gaza. This body will call on best international standards to create modern and efficient governance that serves the people of Gaza and is conducive to attracting investment. 10. A Trump economic development plan to rebuild and energize Gaza will be created by convening a panel of experts who have helped birth some of the thriving modern miracle cities in the Middle East. Many thoughtful investment proposals and exciting development ideas have been crafted by well-meaning international groups, and will be considered to synthesize the security and governance frameworks to attract and facilitate these investments that will create jobs, opportunity, and hope for future Gaza. 11. A special economic zone will be established with preferred tariff and access rates to be negotiated with participating countries. 12. No one will be forced to leave Gaza, and those who wish to leave will be free to do so and free to return. We will encourage people to stay and offer them the opportunity to build a better Gaza. 13. Hamas and other factions agree to not have any role in the governance of Gaza, directly, indirectly, or in any form. All military, terror, and offensive infrastructure, including tunnels and weapon production facilities, will be destroyed and not rebuilt. There will be a process of demilitarization of Gaza under the supervision of independent monitors, which will include placing weapons permanently beyond use through an agreed process of decommissioning, and supported by an internationally funded buy back and reintegration program all verified by the independent monitors. New Gaza will be fully committed to building a prosperous economy and to peaceful coexistence with their neighbors. 14. A guarantee will be provided by regional partners to ensure that Hamas, and the factions, comply with their obligations and that New Gaza poses no threat to its neighbors or its people. 15. The United States will work with Arab and international partners to develop a temporary International Stabilization Force (ISF) to immediately deploy in Gaza. The ISF will train and provide support to vetted Palestinian police forces in Gaza, and will consult with Jordan and Egypt who have extensive experience in this field. This force will be the long-term internal security solution. The ISF will work with Israel and Egypt to help secure border areas, along with newly trained Palestinian police forces. It is critical to prevent munitions from entering Gaza and to facilitate the rapid and secure flow of goods to rebuild and revitalize Gaza. A deconfliction mechanism will be agreed upon by the parties. 16. Israel will not occupy or annex Gaza. As the ISF establishes control and stability, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) will withdraw based on standards, milestones, and timeframes linked to demilitarization that will be agreed upon between the IDF, ISF, the guarantors, and the Unites States, with the objective of a secure Gaza that no longer poses a threat to Israel, Egypt, or its citizens. Practically, the IDF will progressively hand over the Gaza territory it occupies to the ISF according to an agreement they will make with the transitional authority until they are withdrawn completely from Gaza, save for a security perimeter presence that will remain until Gaza is properly secure from any resurgent terror threat. 17. In the event Hamas delays or rejects this proposal, the above, including the scaled-up aid operation, will proceed in the terror-free areas handed over from the IDF to the ISF. 18. An interfaith dialogue process will be established based on the values of tolerance and peaceful co-existence to try and change mindsets and narratives of Palestinians and Israelis by emphasizing the benefits that can be derived from peace. 19. While Gaza re-development advances and when the PA reform program is faithfully carried out, the conditions may finally be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood, which we recognize as the aspiration of the Palestinian people. 20. The United States will establish a dialogue between Israel and the Palestinians to agree on a political horizon for peaceful and prosperous co-existence.&nbsp;

The US proposed 20-point peace plan is aimed at ending the war in Gaza, release of the Israeli hostages, providing aid and redevelopment of the Palestinian territory. 

What is Trump's 20-point Gaza peace plan?

BEIRUT: &nbsp;A top Iranian security official called on regional countries on Saturday to put their difference aside and cooperate closely as they face what he called &ldquo;Israel&rsquo;s conspiracies.&rdquo;&nbsp;Ali Larijani, head of Iran&rsquo;s Supreme National Security Council, spoke in Beirut where he arrived earlier Saturday to attend the anniversary of Israel&rsquo;s assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Lebanon.&nbsp;Iran has been the main backer of Hezbollah over the past four decades, supplying it with weapons and money that had turned it one of the most powerful militant groups in the region. But Hezbollah suffered heavy losses in a 14-month war with Israel, which ended with a US-brokered ceasefire in November, with much of its political and military commanders killed in Israeli strikes.&nbsp;The latest Israel-Hezbollah conflict began the day after the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on southern Israel triggered the ongoing war in Gaza. Hezbollah began firing rockets into Israel from Lebanon in support of Hamas and the Palestinians.&nbsp;In June, Israel launched airstrikes in Iran, triggering a 12-day war between the two countries that killed several key Iran&#39;s military commanders and targeted its arsenal of ballistic missiles while decimating the country&rsquo;s air defenses.&nbsp;Earlier this month, Israel struck the headquarters of Hamas&rsquo; political leadership in Qatar as the group&rsquo;s top figures gathered to consider a US proposal for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.&nbsp;&ldquo;Today, amid Israel&rsquo;s conspiracies, regional states should closely cooperate and even if there were disagreements between them, they should put these disagreements aside,&rdquo; Larjani said after a nearly one-hour meeting with Lebanon&rsquo;s Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri.&nbsp;Larijani praised the call by Hezbollah leader Naim Kassem for Saudi Arabia to open a new page after years of tense relations, calling it &ldquo;a step in the right direction.&rdquo; Referring to Israel, Larijani said Saudi Arabia and Hezbollah both &ldquo;have a common enemy.&rdquo;&nbsp;Asked about reports that Israel might launch new strikes against Iran, Larijani said, &ldquo;We are ready to face all scenarios but I don&rsquo;t think that the Israelis will behave in this stupid way.&rdquo;&nbsp;&ldquo;If they do that, they will receive strong retaliation,&rdquo; Larijani said, without elaborating.&nbsp;

In Beirut, Iran’s Ali Larijani urged unity against Israel’s “conspiracies,” condemned its assassinations and wars killing Hezbollah and Iranian commanders, and warned any new Israeli strike on Iran would be “stupid” and face strong retaliation.

Iran's top security official urges regional states to unite against Israel 

NEW YORK: Former Vice President Kamala Harris, forced to confront Israel&#39;s war in Gaza on the first night of her book tour, expressed compassion for the Palestinians and condemned President Donald Trump for giving the Israeli government &ldquo;a blank check.&rdquo; &ldquo;What&rsquo;s happening to the Palestinian people is outrageous and it breaks my heart,&rdquo; she told a packed New York City performance center on Wednesday night after being interrupted by the first of four pro-Palestinian protesters. &ldquo;Donald Trump has given (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu a blank check to do whatever he wants.&rdquo; &lsquo;107 days&rsquo;The comments came in the midst of a discussion about her new book, &ldquo;107 Days,&rdquo; which was released on Tuesday and details the hyperspeed campaign she launched against Trump after Joe Biden dropped out of the 2024 presidential race.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-10" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-10&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1971013215766106178&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fdashboard%2F&sessionId=0694ba007bfe0945f9eda993896e78df390988cc&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 672px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" data-tweet-id="1971013215766106178"></iframe></div></div>Harris was initially scheduled to make one appearance at the 1,500-person capacity Times Square performance center, but her team added a second show earlier in the evening because of high interest. Few issues have divided the nation &mdash; and the Democratic Party &mdash; more than the war in Israel. More than 65,000 Palestinians have been killed since the start of the war, Gaza&rsquo;s Health Ministry said earlier in the month. Democratic activists in particular have condemned leaders in both parties for not pushing back harder to stop the bloodshed. &lsquo;Excited&rsquo; about Mamdani&rsquo;s candidacy &nbsp;Harris on Wednesday referenced her support for New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, a Democrat who has also spoken out against the war in Gaza. She said the two spoke earlier in the day. She said she told him she&#39;s &ldquo;excited&rdquo; about his candidacy. &ldquo;You are bringing people in, and you are showing that there are voices that want to be heard, have felt left out and are now a part of what you are doing,&rdquo; she said, referencing the conversation.&nbsp; &ldquo;And that is so powerful.&rdquo; Outside the venue on Wednesday night, dozens of activists protested on the sidewalk. Inside, the event veered off script several minutes after it began when a protester started shouting from the audience.&rsquo; &lsquo;A lot of heat&rsquo;&ldquo;Your legacy is genocide. The blood of the Palestinians is on your hands,&rdquo; the first one, a man wearing a medical mask, yelled before being escorted out by security. Later, another woman said, &ldquo;This is your fault.&rdquo; As the crowd grew angry with the disruptions, Harris called on them to &ldquo;take the temperature down.&rdquo; She noted that, as vice president, she first spoke out publicly about starvation in Gaza a year and a half ago. At the time, she said, she took &ldquo;a lot of heat&rdquo; from the Biden administration for speaking out on the sensitive issue. &ldquo;I understand your concern and how you feel &mdash; I think I do,&rdquo; she told the third protester. &ldquo;And the reality of it is where we are right now didn&rsquo;t have to be this way &mdash; in terms of the blank check that this president has given.&rdquo; &lsquo;A communist dictatorship&rsquo;Several times over the course of the night, she criticized Trump. At one point, she said the Republican president and his allies are like &ldquo;a communist dictatorship&rdquo; for quashing dissent. Shortly before the appearance, Trump lashed out at Harris on social media for saying in a recent interview that the 2024 presidential election loss was the closest in the 21st century. Harris repeated the claim on Wednesday in New York. Trump called the former vice president &ldquo;DUMB AS A ROCK.&rdquo; &ldquo;A TOTAL LIE! I expect an apology. Thank you for your attention to this matter!&rdquo; Trump wrote.<div class="fr-embed"><iframe src="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/115261110149678466/embed" class="truthsocial-embed" style="max-width: 100%; border: 0" width="600" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div>The US doesn&rsquo;t elect presidents by popular vote. In fact, Trump lost the popular vote to Hillary Clinton in 2016 and still won the presidency through the electoral college. Trump won the electoral college over Harris, 312-226. There have been two closer elections since 2000. The closest was George W Bush&rsquo;s win over John Kerry in 2004. Harris, who turns 61 next month, hasn&rsquo;t detailed her future plans and was not asked about them at the book event. She&rsquo;s already passed on an opportunity to run for governor of her home state of California. Mixed opinionsThere were decidedly mixed opinions about what she should do next &mdash; even among the hundreds who packed into the Times Square venue. Valerie Lewis, 56, of New York City, said she&#39;s hopeful that the former vice president can unify the badly divided country. She said she &ldquo;would love&rdquo; Harris to run for president again. Lewis&#39; husband, 65-year-old Eugene Dixon, would not. &ldquo;She can&rsquo;t do it,&rdquo; Dixon said. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t believe America is ready to have a woman president.&rdquo; Lewis rolled her eyes. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s harder for a woman,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t think it&rsquo;s possible.&rdquo;

On her book tour’s opening night, Kamala Harris condemned Israel’s actions in Gaza, criticized Trump for enabling Netanyahu, voiced support for Zohran Mamdani, and faced pro-Palestinian protesters

Kamala Harris condemns Israel's war in Gaza on first night of book tour

Reuters

About 10 countries including Australia, Belgium, Britain and Canada are expected to formally recognise an independent Palestinian state on Monday at a summit before the annual leaders&#39; gathering at the UN General Assembly.What would that mean for the Palestinians and Israel?What is the status of Palestinian statehood now?The Palestine Liberation Organization declared an independent Palestinian state in 1988, and most of the global South quickly recognized it. Today, 147 of the 193 UN member states have done so - most recently Mexico, in January.Netanyahu&rsquo;s position&nbsp;Israel&#39;s main ally, the United States, has long said it will recognize a Palestinian state, but only after the Palestinians agree with Israel on a &quot;two-state solution&quot;. Until recent weeks, the major European powers shared this position.However, no such negotiations have been held since 2014, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has now said there will never be a Palestinian state.A delegation representing the State of Palestine has observer status at the United Nations - but no voting rights.Washington&rsquo;s veto&nbsp;No matter how many countries recognize Palestinian independence, full UN membership would require approval by the Security Council, where Washington has a veto.Palestinian diplomatic missions worldwide are controlled by the Palestinian Authority, which is recognized internationally as representing the Palestinian people.The PA, led by President Mahmoud Abbas, exercises limited self-rule in parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank under agreements with Israel. It issues Palestinian passports and runs the Palestinian health and education systems.The Gaza Strip has been administered by Hamas since 2007, when it drove out Abbas&#39;s Fatah movement after a brief civil war, although the PA still funds many salaries.US embassy in Jerusalem&nbsp;Most major powers, with the exception of the US since President Donald Trump moved its embassy to Jerusalem, have their main diplomatic missions in Tel Aviv because they do not recognize Jerusalem as Israel&#39;s capital.However, about 40 have consular offices in Ramallah in the West Bank, or in East Jerusalem - an area whose annexation by Israel is not internationally recognized, which the Palestinians want as their capital.They include China, Russia, Japan, Germany, Canada, Denmark, Egypt, Jordan, Tunisia and South Africa.Countries planning to recognize a Palestinian state have not said what difference that would make to their diplomatic representation.Who is promising to recognize Palestine and why?Britain, France, Canada, Australia and Belgium have all said they will recognise a Palestinian state around the time of the UN General Assembly this month, although London said it could hold back if Israel were to take steps to ease the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and commit to a long-term peace process.The countries say these moves are intended to put pressure on Israel to end its devastating assault on Gaza, curtail the building of new Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank and recommit to a peace process with the Palestinians.French President Emmanuel Macron, the first leader of a major Western power to endorse recognition, said the move would be accompanied by a commitment by the PA to enact reforms, which would improve Palestinian governance and make it a more credible partner for the post-war administration of Gaza.What has recognition meant in practice?Those who see recognition as a mere gesture point to the limited influence in the conflict of countries such as China, Russia and many Arab states that recognized Palestinian independence decades ago.Without a full seat at the UN or control of its own borders, the Palestinian Authority has only limited ability to conduct bilateral relations. There are no formal embassies in Palestinian territory, and countries cannot freely send diplomats there.Israel restricts access to goods, investment and educational or cultural exchanges. There are no Palestinian airports. The landlocked West Bank can be reached only through Israel or through the Israeli-controlled border with Jordan, and Israel controls all access to the Gaza Strip.Still, countries planning recognition and the PA itself say it would be more than an empty gesture.&#39;An equal footing&#39;&nbsp;The Palestinian ambassador to Britain, Husam Zomlot, said it could lead to partnerships between entities on an equal footing.It might also force countries to review aspects of their relationships with Israel, said Vincent Fean, a former British consul-general in Jerusalem.In Britain&#39;s case, this might result in banning products that come from Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territories, he said, even though the practical impact on the Israeli economy would be minimal.Israeli, US reactionIsrael, facing a global outcry over its conduct in the Gaza war, says recognition would reward Hamas.After decades of being formally committed to a peace process ending in Palestinian independence, Israel is now run by its most far-right government, including parties sworn to make it impossible for the Palestinians ever to gain a state.Netanyahu says Israel will never give up ultimate security control of Gaza or the West Bank.The United States strongly opposes the recognition moves by its European allies. It has responded by imposing sanctions on Palestinian officials, including blocking Abbas and other PA figures from attending the UN General Assembly by denying and revoking visas.

About 10 countries plan to formally recognize Palestine, pressuring Israel over Gaza and settlements. Recognition remains symbolic without UN membership or control, but may equalize diplomatic relations and impact Israel politically. 

What would wider recognition of Palestine mean for Palestinians and Israel?

LISBON: Portugal will recognize a Palestinian state on Sunday, the Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on Friday.The Official Declaration of Recognition will take place even before next week&#39;s High-Level Conference, it added.Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel already said this week that the country was considering the recognition of a Palestinian state during a visit to the UK.Unlike neighboring Spain, whose government recognized Palestinian statehood in May 2024 alongside Ireland and Norway and called on other EU countries to do the same, Portugal has taken a more cautious approach, saying it wanted to work out a common position with other EU countries first.Outcry against IsraelOnly a handful of the 27 European Union members recognise Palestine as a State, mostly former Communist countries as well as Sweden and Cyprus.The U.N. General Assembly approved the de facto recognition of the sovereign state of Palestine in November 2012 by upgrading its observer status at the world body to &quot;non-member state&quot; from &quot;entity&quot;.Israel is facing a growing global outcry, given that its war against Hamas in Gaza is causing many deaths, starvation and devastation.

Portugal will officially recognize a Palestinian state on Sunday, ahead of a High-Level Conference, marking a cautious shift compared to other EU countries, amid ongoing conflict and international pressure on Israel.

Articles tagged with "Gaza War"