By The South Asia Times

Islamabad, October 4: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Saturday that Pakistan welcomes the latest response from Hamas to U.S. President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace plan, calling it an “important opportunity” to achieve a long-awaited ceasefire and end the ongoing bloodshed in the besieged Palestinian enclave.

In a post on X, the prime minister expressed gratitude to President Trump and to the leaders of Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Türkiye, Jordan, Egypt, and Indonesia for their joint efforts during the UN General Assembly in New York to push forward a resolution to the Palestinian crisis.

“Alhamdulillah, we are closer to a ceasefire than we have been since this genocide was launched on the Palestinian people,” Sharif wrote. “Pakistan has always stood by the Palestinian people and shall always do so.”

A statement from Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs echoed the prime minister’s remarks, describing Hamas’ response as creating “a window for a ceasefire and ensuring peace that we must not allow to close again.” The ministry said Pakistan appreciates President Trump’s initiative and hopes it will lead to a durable ceasefire, the release of hostages and prisoners, and the resumption of humanitarian aid to Gaza.

Reaffirming Pakistan’s longstanding position, the statement added that Islamabad remains committed to a just and comprehensive peace based on pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as the capital of an independent State of Palestine.

On Friday, U.S. President Donald Trump said on his Truth Social platform that he believed Hamas was “ready for lasting peace” and called on Israel to “immediately stop bombing Gaza” to help secure the release of Israeli captives.

Hamas, in its latest statement, expressed readiness to release all Israeli captives — both alive and dead — and to transfer Gaza’s administration to an independent Palestinian authority composed of technocrats. The group, however, emphasized that any long-term arrangement must address Palestinian rights and the future of Gaza within a broader national framework.

According to Israeli estimates, 48 Israeli captives remain in Gaza, including around 20 believed to be alive. Meanwhile, rights groups report that Israel holds roughly 11,100 Palestinian prisoners, many of whom face torture, hunger, and medical neglect.

Trump unveiled his 20-point Gaza peace plan on September 29, which calls for a ceasefire, the release of Israeli captives within 72 hours of Israel’s approval, and the disarmament of Hamas.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, standing alongside Trump at the White House earlier this week, endorsed the plan, describing it as one that “fulfills Israel’s war objectives.”

Since October 2023, Israeli attacks on Gaza have killed nearly 66,300 Palestinians, mostly women and children. The United Nations and humanitarian organizations continue to warn that Gaza is becoming uninhabitable, with severe shortages of food, medicine, and clean water leading to widespread starvation and disease.