Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan joined Saudi Arabia, T&uuml;rkiye and five other Muslim-majority nations in backing a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-at-un-says-next-phase-of-gaza-peace-plan-should-consolidate-ceasefire-cessation-of-hostilities" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">Gaza peace</a>&nbsp;initiative, the Foreign Office Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said Thursday. Speaking to reporters at a weekly press briefing, Andrabi stated that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif aligned Pakistan with Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and T&uuml;rkiye&nbsp;in supporting implementation of the Gaza Peace Plan under UN Security Council Resolution 2803 during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The eight countries joined the <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-joining-board-of-peace-raises-occupied-kashmir-alarm-for-india" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">Board of Peace</a> and issued a joint statement on the initiative during Sharif&#39;s Jan. 20-22 visit, the spokesperson said. PM Sharif also participated in a session titled &quot;Restoring Spirit of Dialogue in a Divided World&quot; at the forum&#39;s annual gathering, the ministry said. He met with International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva and addressed an event at the Pakistan Pavilion. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar accompanied Sharif to Davos, where he met with foreign ministers from Canada, Finland and Thailand, as well as the president of the International Committee of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, the ministry said. Dar inaugurated the Pathfinder Group&#39;s Pakistan Pavilion, showcasing Pakistan&#39;s <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-appreciates-gates-foundation-support-reaffirms-polio-eradication-commitment" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">economic</a> potential and emerging opportunities. He discussed the role of startups in advancing socio-economic development and driving innovation across diverse sectors. The deputy prime minister stated that the government was committed to facilitating and promoting entrepreneurs and startups, particularly those led by youth, to realize Pakistan&#39;s economic potential. Returning from Davos, Dar stopped in the UAE to meet the chairman of Abu Dhabi&#39;s Department of Finance and secretary general of the Abu Dhabi Supreme Council for Financial and Economic Affairs, who also serves as chairman of Etisalat and vice chairman of Abu Dhabi Holding Company. The two sides explored opportunities to increase UAE investment in Pakistan and exchanged views on broadening trade and economic relations. Discussions focused on Etisalat&#39;s ongoing investments in Pakistan and its plans to expand through its stake in Pakistan Telecommunication Company Ltd. According to the spokesperson, they discussed resolving issues related to PTCL&#39;s operations and future growth. Dar talked about the need to promptly settle remaining issues and cooperate closely to enhance bilateral economic relations, build on historic goodwill and open new avenues of investment, trade and joint ventures. The UAE side expressed full agreement and reaffirmed a strong commitment to advancing shared objectives, Andrabi stated. Both sides agreed to pursue joint efforts to expedite the resolution of outstanding matters. President&rsquo;s visit to the UAE President Asif Ali Zardari was on an official visit to the UAE from Sunday through Wednesday. The spokesperson stated that on Monday, President Zardari met with UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi. The two leaders discussed expanding cooperation in trade, investment, energy, infrastructure, technology, and people-to-people exchanges. The president highlighted Sheikh Mohammed&#39;s recent visit to Pakistan and expressed hope for continued support for strengthening bilateral ties. Both leaders exchanged views on regional and international developments and reaffirmed their commitment to promoting peace, stability and sustainable development. The visit reflects &quot;deep brotherly ties and mutually rewarding partnership&quot; between the two countries, the spokesperson said. Myanmar visit to Pakistan Myanmar Foreign Minister Thanh Sui <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-myanmar-sign-mou-establishing-framework-for-regular-diplomatic-consultations" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">visited</a> Pakistan this week. In his meeting with Dar, the full gamut of bilateral relations between the two Asian states was reviewed. According to the spokesperson, the two countries decided to expand cooperation across diverse sectors, including religious tourism, people-to-people contact and cultural exchanges. They exchanged views on regional and international peace and security and agreed to remain in contact on matters of mutual understanding. Both sides signed memorandums of understanding on political consultations to facilitate regular dialogue on bilateral, regional and institutional issues. Telephonic conversation with EU VP Dar also held a telephone conversation with EU High Representative and Vice President <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/us-still-eus-biggest-ally-says-kaja-kallas" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">Kaja Kallas</a>, welcoming positive momentum in Pakistan-EU relations, the spokesperson said. Both leaders discussed ways to further deepen bilateral cooperation. They exchanged views on recent regional and international developments, including Iran. Dar reaffirmed the importance of sustained dialogue and engagement, and both sides agreed to remain in close contact. Iran The deputy prime minister also spoke twice this week with Iranian Foreign Minister <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/trump-says-time-running-out-as-iran-vows-tough-response" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">Abbas Araqchi</a>. The two leaders exchanged views on current regional and international developments and discussed the current situation in Iran and the wider region. Dar expressed hope for peace and stability, and both sides agreed to continue regular consultations on matters of mutual interest. Diplomatic engagements with Muslim nations Dar spoke with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdel Atty, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Qatari Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, the ministry said. During these conversations, the officials reviewed bilateral and regional developments and agreed to remain in close contact on key regional and international matters. He also held a telephone conversation with Bangladeshi Foreign Minister Touhid Hossain. They reviewed Pakistan-Bangladesh bilateral relations, including trade and economic cooperation, and reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening collaboration across multiple sectors. The two South Asian leaders exchanged views on current regional and international developments. They discussed the importance of sustained engagement to advance shared interests in promoting regional peace and prosperity. Pakistan-Belgium ties The foreign office spokesperson stated that Pakistan and Belgium held the fourth session of bilateral political consultations this week. Pakistan&#39;s delegation was led by Additional Secretary for Europe Aisha Ali, while the Belgian delegation was led by Director-General Bridget Stephens. The two sides appreciated positive momentum in bilateral relations in areas such as trade, investment, education, health science and people-to-people contact. Ali thanked her Belgian counterpart for continued support for Pakistan&#39;s GSP Plus status. The Belgian delegation paid a courtesy call on Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch. Ghana Pakistan and <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/ghana-boat-capsize-kills-15-mostly-children-authorities" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">Ghana&nbsp;</a>held their inaugural session of bilateral political consultations on Jan. 26 in Ghana, Andrabi said. The milestone marked a development in bilateral relations between the two countries. The Pakistani delegation was led by Additional Foreign Secretary Hamid Asad Khan, while the Ghanaian side was led by Chief Director Khadija Idrissou of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The two sides signed an MOU on bilateral political consultations and another MOU on collaboration between the Foreign Service Academy and the Ghanaian Foreign Service Institute. They agreed to further strengthen bilateral relations across political, economic, defense, tourism, cultural, trade, education and IT sectors to promote mutually beneficial cooperation. The next round of consultations will be held in Islamabad in 2027, the foreign office spokesperson stated.

Foreign Affairs

Pakistan endorsed a UN-backed Gaza peace plan at Davos while the country's leaders pursued diplomacy, investment and trade opportunities, holding high-level meetings with Gulf, Asian, European and African partners during multiple international visits.

Pakistan joins Saudi Arabia, Türkiye in backing UN Gaza Peace Plan

DAVOS: US President Donald Trump on Wednesday said that Russia&#39;s Vladimir Putin had agreed to join his &quot;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/what-is-trumps-board-of-peace" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Board of Peace</a>&quot; &mdash; despite the Kremlin so far saying it was still studying the invitation. &quot;He was invited, he&#39;s accepted. Many people have accepted,&quot; Trump told reporters in Davos, Switzerland, referring to his so-far vaguely defined grouping of world leaders. Asked about&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/trump-announces-greenland-framework-backing-off-force-and-tariffs" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">criticism</a>&nbsp;that he is reaching out to non-democratic figures, Trump said some were &quot;controversial&quot; but &quot;if I put all babies on the board, it wouldn&#39;t be very much.&quot; In Moscow, Putin told a cabinet meeting that he had ordered his foreign ministry to study the proposal. &quot;The Russian foreign ministry has been charged with studying the documents that were sent to us and to consult on the topic with our strategic partners,&quot; Putin said during a televised government meeting. &quot;It is only after that we&#39;ll be able to reply to the invitation,&quot; he said. He said that Russia could pay the billion dollars being asked for permanent membership &quot;from the Russian assets frozen under the previous American administration.&quot; He added that the assets could also be used &quot;to reconstruct the territories damaged by the hostilities, after the conclusion of a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine.&quot; Invites were sent to dozens of world leaders requesting $1 billion for a permanent seat on the board. Although originally intended to oversee Gaza&#39;s rebuilding, the board&#39;s charter does not appear to limit its role to the Strip and seeks to rival the United Nations, drawing the ire of some US allies, including France.

Americas

Middle East

Although originally meant to oversee Gaza's rebuilding, board's charter does not seem to limit its role to the Strip, appears to want to rival the UN, drawing the ire of some US allies, including France.

Trump says Putin accepted to join his 'Board of Peace'

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has received an invitation from United States President Donald Trump to join the&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="http://Islamabad%20says:%20Prime%20Minister%20Shehbaz%20Sharif%20has%20received%20a%20US%20invitation%20to%20join%20President%20Donald%20Trump%E2%80%99s%20Gaza%20peace%20board,%20reaffirming%20Pakistan%E2%80%99s%20commitment%20to%20UN-backed%20efforts%20for%20lasting%20peace%20and%20a%20Palestinian%20state%20in%20the%20region." target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Board of Peace</a>&nbsp;on Gaza, the Foreign Office said on Sunday.&nbsp;The disclosure was made in response to media queries by Pakistan Foreign Office Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi.&nbsp;&ldquo;The Prime Minister of Pakistan has received the invitation from the President of the United States to join the Board of Peace on Gaza,&rdquo; Andrabi said in an official statement.&nbsp;He reaffirmed Pakistan&rsquo;s position on the Gaza conflict and the wider Palestinian issue, stressing continued diplomatic engagement. <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; line-height: 2;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 876px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" 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=2012837007634939909&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F3570%2F&sessionId=27ff72f18706e88111d387e3fd7674b23b7ddf9d&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>&ldquo;Pakistan will remain engaged with international efforts for peace and security in Gaza, leading to a lasting solution to the Palestine issue in accordance with United Nations resolutions,&rdquo; the spokesperson said.&nbsp;The Foreign Office did not elaborate on the scope of the proposed board or whether Pakistan has formally accepted the invitation.&nbsp;US outlines Gaza governance frameworkThe invitation follows an announcement from the White House regarding what it described as the <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/gaza-governance-committee-begins-work" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">next phase </a>of President Trump&rsquo;s peace initiative for Gaza.&nbsp;In a statement issued this week, the White House said President Trump had &ldquo;congratulated the formation of the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG),&rdquo; a technocratic Palestinian body intended to oversee governance in the war-affected territory.&nbsp;According to the statement, the NCAG will be led by Dr Ali Sha&rsquo;ath, described as a technocratic Palestinian leader.&nbsp;The White House said the proposed framework would include a main board chaired by President Trump, a Palestinian committee of technocrats tasked with administering Gaza, and a separate executive board intended to play an advisory role.&nbsp;The committee was described as a central component of what the White House termed &ldquo;phase two of Trump&rsquo;s 20-point peace plan,&rdquo; aimed at &ldquo;lasting peace, stability, reconstruction, and prosperity in the region.&rdquo;&nbsp;&ldquo;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/former-palestinian-deputy-minister-to-lead-gaza-governance-body-mediators" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Ali Sha&rsquo;ath</a> will oversee the restoration of core public services, the rebuilding of civil institutions, and the stabilization of daily life in Gaza,&rdquo; the statement said.&nbsp;An initial list of appointees was released, with the White House indicating that additional names would be announced in the coming weeks.&nbsp;OIC endorses second phaseSeparately, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) welcomed what it called the start of the second phase of the peace initiative.&nbsp;In an official statement, the OIC said it welcomed the launch of the new phase &ldquo;under United Nations Security Council Resolution 2803,&rdquo; as well as the formation of a Palestinian committee to administer Gaza &ldquo;as a temporary transitional body.&rdquo;&nbsp;The OIC General Secretariat reiterated its support for &ldquo;the geographical and institutional unity between the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including the occupied city of Al-Quds (Jerusalem).&rdquo;&nbsp;It also condemned Israel&rsquo;s occupation and called on member states to pressure Israel to &ldquo;stop all its crimes and policies,&rdquo; including &ldquo;annexation, settlement, Judaization of Al-Quds (Jerusalem), forced displacement, and settler terrorism.&rdquo;&nbsp;The statement concluded by reaffirming the OIC&rsquo;s support for &ldquo;achieving an independent Palestinian state with East Al-Quds (Jerusalem) as its capital, based on United Nations resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative.&rdquo;

Foreign Office says Pakistan will remain engaged in international Gaza peace efforts, supporting security and a lasting Palestinian solution in line with United Nations resolutions.

Trump invites Pakistan PM to join Gaza's Board of Peace 

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump&#39;s so-called &quot;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/trump-announces-board-of-peace-formed-for-gaza" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Board of Peace</a>&quot; for postwar Gaza began to take shape Saturday, with the leaders of Egypt, Turkey, Argentina and Canada asked to join.&nbsp;The announcements from those leaders came after the US president named his Secretary of State Marco Rubio, former British prime minister Tony Blair, and senior negotiators Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff to the panel.&nbsp;Trump had already declared himself the chair of the body, as he promotes a controversial vision of economic development in the Palestinian territory, which lies in rubble after two-plus years of relentless Israeli bombardment.&nbsp;The moves came after a Palestinian committee of technocrats meant to govern Gaza held its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/gaza-governance-committee-begins-work" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">first meeting in Cairo</a>which was attended by Kushner, Trump&#39;s son-in-law who has partnered with Witkoff for months on the issue.&nbsp;In Canada, a senior aide to Prime Minister Mark Carney said he intended to accept Trump&#39;s invitation, while in Turkey, a spokesman for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he had been asked to become a &quot;founding member&quot; of the board.&nbsp;Egypt&#39;s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said Cairo was &quot;studying&quot; a request for President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to join.&nbsp;Sharing an image of the invitation letter, Argentine President Javier Milei wrote on X that it would be &quot;an honor&quot; to participate in the initiative.&nbsp;In a statement sent to AFP, Blair said: &quot;I thank President Trump for his leadership in establishing the Board of Peace and am honored to be appointed to its Executive Board.&quot;&nbsp;Blair is a controversial figure in the Middle East because of his role in the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Trump himself said last year that he wanted to make sure Blair was an &quot;acceptable choice to everybody.&quot;&nbsp;Blair spent years focused on the Israeli-Palestinian issue as representative of the &quot;Middle East Quartet&quot; -- the United Nations, European Union, United States and Russia -- after leaving Downing Street in 2007.&nbsp;The White House said the Board of Peace will take on issues such as &quot;governance capacity-building, regional relations, reconstruction, investment attraction, large-scale funding and capital mobilization.&quot;&nbsp;The other members of the board so far are World Bank President Ajay Banga, an Indian-born American businessman; billionaire US financier Marc Rowan; and Robert Gabriel, a loyal Trump aide who serves on the US National Security Council.&nbsp;Trump has created a second &quot;Gaza executive board&quot; that appears designed to have a more advisory role.&nbsp;It was not immediately clear which world leaders were asked to be on each board.&nbsp;The White House, which said Friday that additional members would be named to both entities, did not immediately reply to a request for comment.&nbsp;Israel strikesWashington has said the Gaza plan had gone on to a second phase -- from implementing the ceasefire to disarming Hamas, whose October 2023 attack on Israel prompted the massive Israeli offensive.&nbsp;On Friday, Trump named US Major General Jasper Jeffers to head the International Stabilization Force, which will be tasked with providing security in Gaza and training a new police force to succeed Hamas.&nbsp;Jeffers, from special operations in US Central Command, in late 2024 was put in charge of monitoring a ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel, which has continued periodic strikes aimed at Hezbollah militants.&nbsp;Gaza native and former Palestinian Authority deputy minister&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/former-palestinian-deputy-minister-to-lead-gaza-governance-body-mediators" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Ali Shaath</a>was earlier tapped to head the governing committee.&nbsp;Trump, a real estate developer, has previously mused about turning devastated Gaza into a Riviera-style area of resorts, although he has backed away from calls to forcibly displace the population.

Europe

US President Donald Trump launched a “Board of Peace” for postwar Gaza, inviting leaders from Egypt, Turkey, Argentina and Canada, appointing senior US and international figures to oversee governance, reconstruction, security, and economic development efforts

Trump invites more leaders to join Gaza 'Board of Peace'

CAIRO: The <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/former-palestinian-deputy-minister-to-lead-gaza-governance-body-mediators" style="font-size: 18px; color: rgb(0, 115, 230);">Palestinian committee</a>&nbsp;set to govern post-war Gaza has begun its work in Cairo, a member told AFP on Friday. Formed on Wednesday as the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/trump-announces-board-of-peace-formed-for-gaza" style="font-size: 18px; color: rgb(0, 115, 230);">second phase</a> of the US-brokered Gaza ceasefire deal came into effect, the committee is made up of 15 technocrats charged with administering the Palestinian territory after the Israeli bombardment on the enclave. The committee&#39;s first meeting was attended by Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of US President Donald Trump, and Bulgarian diplomat Nickolay Mladenov, who is expected to play a key role in the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire, the member of the committee told AFP on condition of anonymity. The committee members are scheduled to meet again on Saturday for another working session, he added. &quot;We hope to go to Gaza next week or the week after; our work is there, and we need to be there,&quot; he said. &quot;The committee&#39;s priority will be public services,&quot; the member said. &quot;We will not be dealing with politics.&quot; According to diplomatic sources, the committee will be based in Cairo, with members travelling to and from Gaza regularly. The committee is headed by Gaza native and former Palestinian Authority deputy minister Ali Shaath. It is set to be overseen by the &quot;Board of Peace&quot;, headed by Trump himself. Shaath told Egyptian state-linked Al Qahera News that reconstruction would be based on a plan presented by Cairo and Muslim-majority countries, which envisions rebuilding the territory without displacing its inhabitants. &quot;The housing issue is very important after the destruction of 85% of homes,&quot; Shaath told the channel. Omar Shamali, another member of the committee, meanwhile, told AFP that &quot;200,000 prefabricated units will enter Gaza ... to provide education, health, and security services.&quot; Blair, Rubio in board of peace as &lsquo;founding members&rsquo;Separately, Trump tapped Secretary of State Marco Rubio and former British prime minister Tony Blair as founding members of the Gaza &quot;board of peace.&quot; Trump also named his special envoy Steve Witkoff, son-in-law Jared Kushner and World Bank President Ajay Banga among those on the seven-member &quot;founding executive board,&quot; the White House said in a statement. Trump himself will chair the board, it said, adding that further members would be announced in coming weeks. Blair is a controversial choice in the Middle East because of his role in the 2003 invasion of Iraq, and Trump himself said last year that he wanted to make sure he was an &quot;acceptable choice to everybody.&quot; Trump also named US Major General Jasper Jeffers to head the International Stabilization Force (ISF) in Gaza.

The committee will be based in Cairo, with members traveling regularly to and from Gaza, as Trump appointed Tony Blair and senior American officials to oversee post-war governance and security, outlining plans for reconstruction, investment, and regional coordination.

Gaza governance committee begins work

GAZA CITY: From his tent in Gaza City, Mahmoud Abdel Aal said residents were frustrated and worried because nothing had changed in the Palestinian territory since the start of the <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/trump-says-nothing-will-jeopardise-gaza-ceasefire-after-israeli-strikes" style="color:#0073e6;">US-brokered ceasefire&#39;s</a> second phase. In a post-apocalyptic landscape of bombed-out buildings and makeshift camps devastated by recent winter rains, Palestinians who spoke to AFP mostly expressed bitterness. Though <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/israel-kills-13-people-in-gaza-including-five-children-despite-ceasefire" style="color:#0073e6;">Israeli strikes</a> have been less intense since the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel began in October 2025, bombs still fall every day. After US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/trump-announces-board-of-peace-formed-for-gaza" style="color:#0073e6;">announced </a>the start of the second phase of US President Donald Trump&#39;s peace plan for Gaza on Wednesday, more than 14 people were killed in the tiny coastal territory, according to the Gaza civil defense agency. Israel and Hamas have repeatedly accused each other of violating the ceasefire&#39;s terms. &quot;There is no difference between the war and the ceasefire, nor between the first and second phase of the deal: strikes continue every day,&quot; Abdel Aal said. &quot;Everyone is worried and frustrated because nothing&#39;s changed.&quot; On Friday, an AFP photographer saw members of the Houli family walk through rubble after five of their relatives were killed in an air strike on their house in central Gaza&#39;s Deir al-Balah. &#39;All over the media&#39;&nbsp;Hamas announced the death of Mahmud al-Houli, described as a military officer of the movement, while Israel&#39;s military said it carried out strikes on Thursday against members of Hamas and Islamic Jihad&#39;s armed wings in response to what it considers violations of the ceasefire. Houli family neighbor Ahmad Suleiman said the announcement of the ceasefire&#39;s second phase was &quot;all over the media, but the reality is different.&quot; &quot;There is no ceasefire, otherwise look at what the ceasefire has brought,&quot; he told AFP, pointing to the destroyed building. Most residents interviewed by AFP said they were skeptical about recent announcements regarding the formation of the so-called &quot;Board of Peace,&quot; an entity chaired by Trump and supposed to oversee reconstruction, and a Palestinian technocratic committee with which it is to work. &quot;No one is concerned for us,&quot; said Hossam Majed, who is living in the ruins of his home in Gaza City. &quot;The whole world meets in Cairo to talk about Gaza, but they can&#39;t even enter it,&quot; he told AFP. &quot;Israel will use the pretext of handing over the last body (of a hostage), then the weapons (of Hamas), and the second phase will stretch over additional years,&quot; he said. Hamas returned 47 of 48 hostages it was supposed to hand over under the terms of the first phase, and has yet to commit to disarming as is planned under the second phase. &#39;Hope and patience&#39;Day-to-day living conditions for the vast majority of Gaza residents remain extremely precarious, with more than 80% of infrastructure destroyed, according to the United Nations. Several humanitarian and UN workers told AFP that while the situation has improved in some areas since the ceasefire, the humanitarian response remains insufficient due to access restrictions imposed by Israeli authorities, who deny these claims. Water and electricity networks, as well as waste management, no longer function. Hospitals operate at minimal capacity when still open, and schools exist only as sporadic or marginal initiatives. All children in the Gaza Strip need psychological support after more than two years of war, according to UNICEF. Nivine Ahmad, a 47-year-old woman living in a camp for the displaced in south Gaza&#39;s Al-Mawasi area, said: &quot;We miss real life.&quot; She said the announcement of the formation of the technocratic committee led her to imagine returning to Gaza City. &quot;I pictured living with my family in a prefabricated unit, with electricity and water instead of our bombed home,&quot; she said. &quot;Only then will I feel that the war is over,&quot; she added. In the meantime, she urged the world to put itself in the Gazans&#39; shoes. &quot;We only have hope and patience,&quot; she said.

Israeli strikes have been less intense since the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel began in October 2025, but bombs still fall every day; the Gaza civil defense agency says more than 14 people were killed in the tiny coastal territory. 


'Nothing's changed' in Gaza as US peace deal enters second phase

DOHA: The nearly two-month-old ceasefire in the Gaza Strip will not be complete until Israeli troops withdraw from the Palestinian territory under a peace plan backed by Washington and the UN, mediator Qatar&#39;s prime minister said Saturday.&nbsp;&quot;Now we are at the critical moment ... A ceasefire cannot be completed unless there is a full withdrawal of the Israeli forces, (and) there is stability back in Gaza,&quot; Qatari premier Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani told the Doha Forum, an annual diplomatic conference in the Gulf state&#39;s capital.&nbsp;Qatar, alongside the United States and Egypt, helped secure the long-elusive truce in Gaza, which came into effect on Oct. 10 and has mostly halted two years of fighting between Israel and Hamas.&nbsp;Under a second phase of the deal, which has yet to begin, Israel is to withdraw from its positions in the territory, an interim authority is to take over governance, and an international stabilization force (ISF) is to be deployed.&nbsp;Arab and Muslim nations have been hesitant to participate in the new stabilization force, which could end up fighting Palestinian militants.&nbsp;Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, also speaking at the forum, said talks on the force were ongoing and that critical questions remained about its command structure and which countries would contribute.&nbsp;But its first goal, Fidan said, &quot;should be to separate Palestinians from the Israelis.&quot;&nbsp;&quot;This should be our main objective. Then we can address the other remaining issues,&quot; he added.&nbsp;Hamas is also supposed to disarm under the 20-point plan first outlined by US President Donald Trump, with members who decommission their weapons allowed to leave Gaza. The militant group has repeatedly rejected the proposition.&nbsp;Turkey has indicated it wants to take part in the stabilization force, but its efforts are viewed unfavorably in Israel, which considers Ankara too close to Hamas.&nbsp;&quot;I think the only viable way to finish this war is to engage faithfully and forcefully in peace talks,&quot; Fidan said.&nbsp;Sheikh Mohammed said Qatar and fellow truce guarantors Turkiye, Egypt, and the US were &quot;getting together in order to force the way forward for the next phase&quot; of the deal.&nbsp;&quot;And this next phase is just also temporary from our perspective,&quot; he said.&nbsp;&quot;If we are ... just resolving what happened in the last two years, it&#39;s not enough,&quot; he continued, calling for a &quot;lasting solution that provides justice for both people.&quot;&nbsp;Deployment of stabilization force in Gaza &#39;as soon as possible&#39;Egypt&#39;s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty on Saturday urged the rapid deployment of an international ceasefire monitoring force under the second phase of a peace deal for the Gaza Strip. &quot;As for the International Stabilization Force, we need to deploy this force as soon as possible on the ground because one party, which is Israel, is every day violating the ceasefire ... so we need monitors,&quot; the minister said. He warned that Egypt&#39;s Rafah crossing into Gaza &quot;is not going to be a gateway for displacement. It&#39;s only for flooding Gaza with humanitarian and medical care.&quot;

Gaza’s ceasefire incomplete without full Israeli withdrawal; urges second phase with a stabilization force; Egypt demands rapid deployment of monitors and rejects Rafah’s use for displacement.

Qatar PM says Gaza truce incomplete without 'full withdrawal' by Israel

ISLAMABAD: Qatar&#39;s prime minister and Turkish delegates will join Hamas and Israeli negotiators in Egypt on Wednesday for a third day of talks aimed at ending the Gaza war, AFP reported. Indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas are being held at the Red Sea resort town of Sharm El-Sheikh, based on a 20-point plan proposed by US President Donald Trump last month. &lsquo;There&rsquo;s a possibility&rsquo;: TrumpPresident Trump on Tuesday pledged US support for Gaza security guarantees and said he believes a deal is close to being completed for the remaining hostages, Reuters reported. Talking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump said, &quot;I think there&#39;s a possibility that we could have peace in the Middle East&quot; beyond just Gaza. He said he would discuss Gaza with visiting Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. &quot;We are very close to making a deal on the Middle East that will bring peace to the Middle East after all of these years,&quot; Trump said at the start of an Oval Office meeting with Carney. Asked what security guarantees the United States was willing to offer, Trump pledged help without providing specifics. &quot;We are going to do everything possible &mdash; we have a lot of power &mdash; and we&#39;re going to do everything possible to make sure everybody adheres to the deal,&quot; he said.&nbsp;Global pressureGlobal pressure to end the war has escalated, with much of Gaza flattened, a UN-declared famine unfolding and Israeli hostage families still longing for their loved ones&#39; return, AFP reported. A UN probe last month accused Israel of genocide. Hamas&#39;s top negotiator, Khalil El-Hayya, said the group wants &quot;guarantees from President Trump and the sponsor countries that the war will end once and for all&quot;. Trump&#39;s plan calls for a ceasefire, the release of all the hostages, Hamas&#39;s disarmament, and a gradual Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. The plan received positive responses from both Israel and Hamas and prompted indirect talks in Egypt since Monday. A Palestinian source close to the Hamas negotiating team said Tuesday&#39;s session included Hamas discussing &quot;the initial maps presented by the Israeli side regarding the withdrawal of troops as well as the mechanism and timetable for the hostage-prisoner exchange&quot;.&nbsp;Steve Witkoff to join talksOn Wednesday, Trump&#39;s special Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff will join the talks, according to Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty. &quot;The primary guarantee of success at this stage is US President Trump himself ... even if it comes to a point to require him imposing a vision,&quot; he said. Qatar stated that its prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, would attend. In contrast, Turkish state media reported that the country&#39;s Intelligence Chief, Ibrahim Kalin, would lead a delegation to Egypt. Israel&#39;s war on Gaza has killed at least 67,160 Palestinians, according to the health ministry in Gaza, figures the United Nations considers credible.

The two countries will join the talks in Cairo, based on a US-proposed plan calling for a ceasefire, hostage release, and Israeli withdrawal. President Trump says he believes a deal is close. 

Qatar, Turkey to join third day of Gaza peace talks in Egypt

JERUSALEM: US President Donald Trump on Tuesday gave Hamas an ultimatum of &quot;three or four days&quot; to accept his plan to end the war in Gaza &quot;for their own good&quot; or face severe consequences. Trump&#39;s plan, backed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, calls for a ceasefire, the release of hostages by Hamas within 72 hours, disarmament, and a gradual Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. That would be followed by a post-war transitional authority headed by Trump himself. Hamas reviewing terms&nbsp;World powers, including Arab and Muslim nations, welcomed the proposal, but Hamas has yet to issue a response as it reviewed the terms. &quot;We&#39;re going to do about three or four days,&quot; Trump told reporters when asked about any timeframe. He later warned Hamas it would face severe consequences if it refused. &quot;We have one signature that we need, and that signature will pay in hell if they don&#39;t sign,&quot; Trump told US generals and admirals gathered at a military base in Quantico, Virginia. &lsquo;Several days&rsquo;&nbsp;A Palestinian source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that Hamas had begun consultations, and &quot;the discussions could take several days due to the complexities.&quot; Qatar, which hosts Hamas&#39;s exiled leadership, said it would hold a meeting with Hamas officials and Turkey later Tuesday. &quot;It is still too early to speak about responses, but we are truly optimistic that this plan, as we said, is a comprehensive one,&quot; a Qatar foreign ministry spokesman said. Upon returning from his meeting with Trump at the White House on Monday, Netanyahu said he would brief his cabinet on a deal that would achieve &quot;all the war aims we have set.&quot; His comments came as Israel continued its offensive in Gaza, with the territory&#39;s civil defense agency and hospitals saying 46 people had been killed, including 15 in Gaza City. <h2 style="line-height: 2;">&lsquo;End in tears&#39;</h2>Trump&#39;s proposal demands that Hamas fully disarm and be excluded from future roles in the government, but those who agree to &quot;peaceful co-existence&quot; would be given amnesty. It would also see a phased Israeli withdrawal from Gaza after nearly two years of war. But in an earlier video after the press conference with Trump, Netanyahu said the Israeli military would stay in most of Gaza, and claimed he did not agree to a Palestinian state during his talks in Washington. Still, Israel&#39;s far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, a member of Netanyahu&#39;s coalition government, blasted the plan as a &quot;resounding diplomatic failure.&quot; &quot;In my estimation, it will also end in tears. Our children will be forced to fight in Gaza again,&quot; Smotrich said. Trump&rsquo;s plan&nbsp;Trump&#39;s plan includes the deployment of a &quot;temporary international stabilisation force&quot; and the creation of a transitional authority headed by Trump himself, including former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. But during his press conference with Trump, Netanyahu cast doubt on whether the Palestinian Authority, which nominally runs population centers in the occupied West Bank, would be allowed a role in Gaza&#39;s governance. He also warned that &quot;If Hamas rejects your plan, Mr President, or if they supposedly accept it and then basically do everything to counter it, then Israel will finish the job by itself.&quot; Trump said Israel would have his &quot;full backing&quot; to do so if Hamas did not accept the deal. <h2 style="line-height: 2;">&#39;Unrealistic&#39;</h2>Washington&#39;s European allies, including Britain, France, Germany, and Italy, expressed strong support, while China and Russia also declared their backing. But in Gaza, people were skeptical. &quot;It&#39;s clear that this plan is unrealistic&quot;, 39-year-old computer programmer Ibrahim Joudeh told AFP from his shelter in the so-called humanitarian zone of Al-Mawasi in southern Gaza. &quot;It&#39;s drafted with conditions that the US and Israel know Hamas will never accept. For us, that means the war and the suffering will continue,&quot; he said. &lsquo;Sincere and determined efforts&rsquo;The Palestinian Authority welcomed what it called Trump&#39;s &quot;sincere and determined efforts.&quot; But Hamas ally Islamic Jihad said the plan would fuel further aggression against Palestinians. &quot;Through this, Israel is attempting &mdash; via the United States &mdash; to impose what it could not achieve through war,&quot; the group said. Israel&#39;s war has reduced much of Gaza to rubble and killed 66,097 Palestinians, also mostly civilians, according to health ministry figures in Gaza that the United Nations considers reliable.

Trump gives Hamas "three or four days" to accept a Gaza ceasefire plan involving disarmament, hostage release, and phased Israeli withdrawal. Hamas is reviewing terms of the plan.

Trump gives Hamas '3 or 4 days' on Gaza deal

Trump's Gaza peace plan has international oversight body 'Board of Peace'; Netanyahu says did not agree to a Palestinian state; Hamas will review the 'plan in good faith, provide a response'.

Articles tagged with "Gaza peace plan"