Trump praises Pakistan's Sharif, Munir for backing Gaza peace plan
What's the story
United States President Donald Trump has praised Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir for their support of his proposed peace plan for Gaza. Speaking at a White House press briefing on Monday, Trump called the Pakistani leaders "incredible." He said Islamabad had backed his 20-point proposal to end the conflict between Israel and Hamas from the start.
Plan details
Trump's plan to end Israel-Hamas war
Trump's "Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict" proposes making Gaza a deradicalized, terror-free zone. Under the plan, if both sides agree, Israeli forces will withdraw to an agreed line and military operations will be suspended. All hostages must be returned within 72 hours of Israel accepting the agreement. Once hostages are released, Israel will free 250 life sentence prisoners and 1,700 Gazans detained after October 7, 2023.
Global backing
Trump's meeting with Sharif, Munir
The foreign ministers of several Muslim and Arab nations, including Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the UAE, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkey, Qatar, and Egypt, have welcomed Trump's leadership in this matter. Their joint statement also praised his "sincere efforts" to end the war in Gaza. Indian PM Narendra Modi also welcomed the 20-point proposal, describing it as a "viable pathway to long-term and sustainable peace, security and development" in the region.
Diplomatic thaw
US-Pakistan ties have improved since January
Trump's praise for the two Pakistani leaders comes after they met at the White House last Thursday. Trends indicate that since Trump's return, US-Pakistan ties have improved. Last month, Washington signed an agreement for Pakistan to supply critical minerals and rare earth elements to the US. A US firm is investing $500 million as part of this deal. The two countries also reached a trade agreement with a 19% tariff on Pakistani imports and cooperation on developing Pakistan's oil reserves.