By The South Asia Times

Islamabad -  Pakistan and seven other key regional states have welcomed the establishment of a Palestinian technocratic body to administer the Gaza Strip, calling it a critical step toward stabilizing the war-ravaged enclave and advancing a comprehensive peace process.

In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar said they supported the formation of the National Committee for the Administration of the Gaza Strip (NCAG), announced on January 14 as a temporary transitional authority.

The committee has been established under UN Security Council Resolution 2803 as part of the second phase of the Comprehensive Peace Plan and in coordination with the Palestinian Authority (PA). The ministers said the body should immediately begin managing the day-to-day affairs of Gaza’s population while preserving the political and territorial unity of the Palestinian territories.

“The unity of Gaza must be safeguarded and any attempts to divide it must be rejected,” the statement said, stressing the importance of maintaining the institutional link between Gaza and the West Bank.

The ministers also expressed support for the launch of the second phase of U.S. President Donald Trump’s peace plan, praising his role in pushing for an end to the conflict, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, the prevention of annexation in the occupied West Bank, and the advancement of regional peace.

They underscored the need to consolidate the ceasefire, halt violations, and ensure the unhindered flow of humanitarian assistance into Gaza. The statement called for early recovery and reconstruction efforts across the enclave and for paving the way for the Palestinian Authority to resume its responsibilities there.

The foreign ministers reaffirmed their commitment to a “just, comprehensive, and sustainable peace” based on United Nations resolutions, the Arab Peace Initiative, and the two-state solution. They said the ultimate objective remains ending the occupation of Palestinian territories in Gaza and the West Bank and establishing an independent Palestinian state along the June 4, 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

The formation of the NCAG is seen as a transitional mechanism aimed at restoring governance, facilitating aid delivery, and preparing the ground for a longer-term political settlement following months of war and humanitarian devastation in the Gaza Strip.