By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: President Donald Trump met with Muslim leaders from the Middle East and beyond on Tuesday to unveil a plan to end Israel’s war in Gaza, hours after a combative UN General Assembly speech in which he rejected growing global support for Palestinian statehood as rewarding “horrible atrocities” by Hamas.
The closed-door meeting, held on the sidelines of the 80th U.N. General Assembly at its Headquarters, included leaders from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, and Indonesia.
The gathering aimed to address the escalating Gaza conflict, where local health authorities report more than 65,000 Palestinians have been killed amid Israel’s ongoing military operations, including a recent ground assault on Gaza City.
The White House described Trump’s plan as a phased Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, coupled with the deployment of regional peacekeeping forces and an internationally backed reconstruction process for the devastated enclave.
Diplomatic sources cited by Axios and Israel’s Channel 12 said the plan, while not drafted by Israel, has been shared with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. It envisions a role for the Palestinian Authority but explicitly excludes Hamas, which Washington and Tel Aviv insist must be dismantled.
In a televised exchange before the meeting, Trump emphasised the urgency of securing the release of hostages held in Gaza. “We have to get the hostages back… This is the group that can do it, more than any other group in the world… so it’s an honor to be with you,” he told the leaders.
He called the session a pivotal moment. “We had 32 meetings here, this is the one that’s very important because we’re gonna end something that should’ve probably never started.”
Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani thanked Trump for convening the talks. “We count on your leadership as well to end this war and to help the people of Gaza.” Al Thani added that the group’s focus was to “stop the war and bring the prisoners back.”
In his General Assembly address earlier Tuesday, Trump dismissed calls for broader recognition of Palestinian statehood, urging world leaders to prioritise a “ceasefire-for-prisoners” deal to secure the release of all remaining captives, alive or dead. “We have to stop the war in Gaza immediately. We have to immediately negotiate peace.”
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif praised Trump’s “commitment to establishing peace in the world,” calling him “indeed a man of peace.” Recalling Trump’s role in averting a potential India-Pakistan conflict, Sharif said, “For that we thank him from the depths of our hearts.”
Accompanied by Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Sharif declined to comment on the Gaza meeting when pressed by reporters, saying, “It is not the right time; I will speak about it only after the meeting is over.”
The 50-minute meeting saw Trump commend the leaders, saying, “You all have done an excellent job, which is commendable.” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whose government has condemned Israel’s actions in Gaza as genocidal and halted trade with Israel, called the talks “extremely productive.”
Speaking to reporters in New York, he said a joint declaration would be issued but offered no further details. Other leaders, including Sharif, Sheikh Tamim, Jordan’s King Abdullah II, and Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto, did not address the media. Sharif’s office released photos of him meeting with Sheikh Tamim, King Abdullah II, Subianto and Trump.
The Trump administration is pressing Arab and Muslim nations to contribute troops to a Gaza peacekeeping force and fund reconstruction efforts, Axios reported. The plan’s success depends on securing commitments from Arab and Muslim nations, a challenge given the region’s fraught politics.
The proposal comes as Israel faces global criticism for its military campaign, particularly the recent Gaza City offensive. Despite this, the U.S. remains Israel’s closest ally, joining Tel Aviv in boycotting a Monday summit hosted by France and Saudi Arabia to support Palestinian statehood.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking to Fox News, described the plan as a step toward a “negotiated settlement” that would allow Palestinians to govern a territory without threatening Israel. “It cannot be one that’s going to be used as a launchpad for attacks against Israel,” he said. On CBS News, Rubio called the meeting “one last shot” to end the conflict, free hostages, and launch a humanitarian relief program.
The Gaza plan emerges amid intensifying debate over Palestinian statehood. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, addressing the Security Council, endorsed recognition efforts, calling them “the clearest path to a two-State solution: Israel and an independent, sovereign, democratic, viable and contiguous State of Palestine.”
He urged leaders to “seize this momentum.” However, full U.N. membership for Palestine would require Security Council approval, where the U.S. frequently vetoes resolutions critical of Israel.
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