ISTANBUL

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Monday that it welcomed US President Donald Trump’s plan to end the war in Gaza.

“I welcome President Trump’s 20-point plan to ensure an end to the war in Gaza. I am also convinced that durable peace between the Palestinian people and Israel would be essential in bringing political stability and economic growth to the region,” Sharif wrote on the US social media company X.

“It is also my firm belief that President Trump is fully prepared to assist in whatever way necessary to make this extremely important and urgent understanding to become a reality,” he added.

Trump is said to have unveiled a 21-point plan during last week's meeting with Arab and Islamic leaders on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. Sharif was part of the session and also met Trump separately.

The plan calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities and the release of all Israeli captives. It also outlines the creation of international and Palestinian administrative bodies to gradually govern Gaza, explicitly excluding Hamas from any political or security role.

“I laud President Trump’s leadership and the vital role played by Special Envoy Steve Witkoff in bringing an end to this war. I also strongly believe that the implementation of the two-state proposal is essential to ensure lasting peace in the region,” Sharif said.

The Israeli army has killed over 66,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children, in Gaza since October 2023. The relentless bombardment has rendered the enclave uninhabitable and led to a famine.

Trump is meeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Monday, hoping to finalize the deal to end the war.