JERUSALEM: Hamas said Tuesday it was working to overcome &quot;all obstacles&quot; as the Palestinian leaders held indirect talks with Israel aimed at ending the two-year Gaza war. &quot;The delegation of the movement participating in the current negotiations in Egypt seeks to surmount all obstacles to achieving an agreement that fulfils the aspirations of our people in Gaza,&quot; senior Hamas official Fawzi Barhoum said in a televised speech.

Middle East

Europe

Hamas said it is working to overcome all obstacles in ongoing indirect talks with Israel in Egypt, aiming to reach an agreement that meets the aspirations of the Palestinian people in Gaza after two years of war

Hamas says working to 'surmount all obstacles' in Gaza talks

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: The foreign ministers of Pakistan, Jordan, the UAE, Indonesia, T&uuml;rkiye, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Egypt, in a joint statement on Sunday, welcomed the steps taken by Hamas in&nbsp;response to US President Donald Trump&rsquo;s plan to end the Gaza conflict. &ldquo;The foreign ministers ... welcomed President Trump&rsquo;s call on Israel to immediately stop the bombing and to begin implementation of the exchange agreement and expressed appreciation for his commitment to establishing peace in the region,&rdquo; according to the statement. Gaza administration and ceasefire talks The foreign ministers supported Hamas&rsquo;s announcement to hand over Gaza&rsquo;s administration to a transitional Palestinian Administrative Committee of independent technocrats. They called for swift negotiations to establish implementation mechanisms. They said that there is a need for &quot;immediate launch of negotiations to agree on mechanisms to implement the proposal, and address all of its aspects.&rdquo; Commitment to peace, security, and humanitarian aid According to the statement, &quot;The foreign ministers reiterated their joint commitment to support efforts toward the implementation of the proposal, to work for the immediate end of the war on Gaza, and achieve a comprehensive agreement that ensures unrestricted delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza, no displacement of the Palestinian people, and that no measures are taken that threaten the security and safety of civilians, the release of hostages, the return of the Palestinian Authority to Gaza, unifying Gaza and the West Bank, and reaching a security mechanism that guarantees the security of all sides, in a manner that leads to the full Israeli withdrawal, and to the rebuilding of Gaza, and that creates a path for a just peace on the basis of the two-state solution.&quot; They described the developments as a &ldquo;real opportunity to achieve a comprehensive and sustainable ceasefire, and to address the critical humanitarian conditions facing people in Gaza Strip.&rdquo;

 Israeli soldiers take position along the Gaza Strip border in southern Israel, Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025. (AP)

Asia

In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of the eight countries reiterated their commitment to supporting the release of hostages, ceasefire talks, the handover of the Gaza administration, and urgent peace negotiations based on the two-state solution.

Pakistan, other Muslim nations, welcome Hamas response to Trump’s peace plan

DOHA: Hamas officials want amendments to clauses in US President Donald Trump&rsquo;s Gaza peace plan, including on disarmament, a Palestinian source close to the group&rsquo;s leadership told AFP on Wednesday. Hamas negotiators held discussions Tuesday with Turkish, Egyptian and Qatari officials in Doha, the source said, requesting anonymity to discuss sensitive matters and adding that the group needed &ldquo;two or three days at most&rdquo; to respond. Trump&rsquo;s plan, backed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, calls for a ceasefire, the release of hostages by Hamas within 72 hours, the group&rsquo;s disarmament and a gradual Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. But the Palestinian source said: &ldquo;Hamas wants to amend some of the clauses, such as the one on disarmament and the expulsion of Hamas and faction cadres.&rdquo; Hamas leaders also want &ldquo;international guarantees for a full Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip&rdquo; and guarantees that no assassination attempts will be made inside or outside the territory. Six people were killed in an Israeli attack last month on Hamas officials meeting in Doha to discuss an earlier ceasefire proposal. The source said Hamas was also in touch with &ldquo;other regional and Arab parties,&rdquo; without giving details. ClarificationAnother source familiar with the negotiations told AFP the Palestinian group was split over Trump&rsquo;s plan. &ldquo;So far, there are two views within Hamas: the first supports unconditional approval because the important thing is to have a ceasefire guaranteed by Trump, provided that the mediators guarantee Israel&rsquo;s implementation of the plan,&rdquo; the source said, also requesting anonymity. But others have &ldquo;great reservations on important clauses,&rdquo; the source added. &ldquo;They reject disarmament and for any Palestinian citizen to be taken away from Gaza.&rdquo; &ldquo;They support a conditional agreement with clarifications that take into account demands by Hamas and the resistance factions so that the occupation of the Gaza Strip is not legitimized while the resistance is criminalized,&rdquo; the source said. &ldquo;Some factions reject the plan, but discussions are ongoing and things will become clearer soon.&rdquo; In an interview with Al Jazeera on Tuesday, Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said parts of the Gaza plan required further &ldquo;clarification&rdquo; and talks, including Israel&rsquo;s withdrawal from the strip. &ldquo;The issue of [Israeli] withdrawal, of course, requires some clarification and some work, and I believe this must be discussed in detail. This is primarily the duty of the Palestinian side, along with the Israeli side,&rdquo; he said.

A source close to Hamas leadership reveals the group is seeking to amend the disarmament clause in former President Trump's peace plan. The move comes amid ongoing tensions and efforts to negotiate future terms.

Hamas seeks to amend disarmament clause in Trump plan, source says

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Tuesday distanced the Pakistani government from the Gaza peace plan presented by the United States and Israel earlier this week, expressing concerns that it failed to address &ldquo;key areas.&rdquo;&nbsp;The 20-point 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. President Trump has stated that his administration is waiting for Hamas to accept the plan.&nbsp;Speaking to reporters in Islamabad, Dar explained that the document presented by the US and Israel on Monday did not cover several important issues discussed in the joint commitment issued by the foreign ministers of eight Muslim-majority countries. &ldquo;If these issues are not addressed, they will be,&rdquo; Dar asserted, emphasizing that the immediate objective of their meeting was to stop displacement, achieve a ceasefire, end the bloodshed, and ensure the flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza.&nbsp;Dar clarified that Pakistan&#39;s position aligned with the joint statement from the eight countries, not a statement from Pakistan alone. &ldquo;This is the collective commitment of eight countries, not just mine or the Prime Minister&rsquo;s,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;Regarding President Trump&rsquo;s peace plan, Dar noted that Pakistan understood it as a statement from the US government. &ldquo;We have issued our statement on behalf of eight countries, and we stand by that,&rdquo; he added. &ldquo;If there are any differences, we will adhere to this statement.&rdquo;&nbsp;The plan, presented by President Trump on Monday, outlines a roadmap for a ceasefire, the exchange of hostages and prisoners, a phased Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, the disarmament of Hamas, and large-scale reconstruction with international support.&nbsp;A joint statement from the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Turkey, Indonesia, Qatar, Egypt, and Jordan welcomed the initiative, praising Trump&rsquo;s &ldquo;sincere efforts to end the war.&rdquo;&nbsp;The ministers also reiterated their support for a two-state solution, with Gaza fully integrated into the West Bank under a Palestinian state recognized by international law.

Foreign Affairs

Says all key areas, if they are not covered, “they should have been covered. They will be.”

FM Dar says Gaza peace plan issued by US does not cover ‘key areas’ 

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;

Americas

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. 

Articles tagged with "Gaza Peace Plan"

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