Pakistan accepts Trump’s invitation to join ‘Peace Council’: FO

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan has accepted US President Donald Trump’s invitation to join his Board of Peace, a new international mechanism aimed at supporting the implementation of the Gaza Peace Plan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (FO) announced on Wednesday. Other countries that accepted the invitation to join the board include Israel, Turkey, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates.

In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the decision was taken following an invitation extended to Prime Minister Shehbaz by Trump. The Peace Council was formed under United Nations Security Council Resolution 2803, which calls for concrete measures to resolve the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

FO said Pakistan’s participation reflects its long-standing commitment to international peace and security, as well as its continued support for the Palestinian cause.

“Pakistan hopes that with the creation of this framework, concrete steps will be taken towards the implementation of a permanent ceasefire, increased humanitarian assistance to the Palestinians, as well as the reconstruction of Gaza,” the statement said.

Learn more: Trump invites more world leaders to join Gaza Peace Council

The government stressed that an immediate and lasting ceasefire remained essential to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where months of conflict have left thousands dead and displaced large swaths of the population. Islamabad also highlighted the urgent need for unhindered humanitarian access to ensure delivery of food, medicine and essential supplies to civilians.

Beyond the immediate humanitarian dimension, Pakistan reiterated its principled position on the Palestinian question, emphasizing that lasting peace in the Middle East could not be achieved without addressing the root political causes of the conflict.

FO said Pakistan hoped that efforts under the Peace Council would lead to the realization of the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination through a “credible and time-bound political process” consistent with international law and relevant United Nations resolutions.

Such a process, the statement added, must result in the creation of an independent, sovereign and contiguous Palestinian state, based on the pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.

Pakistan has always supported a two-state solution and has repeatedly called on the international community to move beyond crisis management towards a comprehensive political settlement of the Palestinian issue.

Diplomatic sources said Pakistan’s inclusion in the Peace Council was likely to boost the body’s legitimacy, particularly among Muslim-majority countries, and could help bridge gaps between different international stakeholders involved in peace efforts in Gaza.

The statement did not provide details on the composition of the Peace Council or its operational modalities, but officials said the forum was expected to play a facilitating role in coordinating ceasefire agreements, humanitarian aid and post-conflict reconstruction, while supporting a broader political track under UN auspices.

Pakistan also expressed its willingness to play a constructive role in the Peace Council to help end the suffering of the Palestinian people.

“Pakistan looks forward to continuing to play a constructive role in the Peace Council towards achieving these goals as well as ending the suffering of our Palestinian brothers and sisters,” FO said. The announcement was also shared by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.

Islamabad has been vocal in international forums, including the United Nations General Assembly and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, on the need to protect Palestinian civilians and uphold international humanitarian law. Pakistani leaders have repeatedly condemned attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure, while calling for accountability and compliance with UN resolutions.

Observers say Pakistan’s decision to formally join the Peace Council signals its intention to remain diplomatically engaged on Gaza at a time when global efforts are underway to prevent further escalation and lay the groundwork for a political settlement.

The announcement comes just a day before an official signing ceremony to establish the Peace Council in Davos, on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF).

Netanyahu accepts invitation to join board

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday accepted US President Donald Trump’s invitation to join the so-called “Peace Council”, an initiative that initially aims to end the conflict in Gaza before potentially expanding to other conflicts elsewhere, Netanyahu’s office said in an article on X.

Meanwhile, Israeli gunfire killed at least 11 Palestinians, including two boys and three journalists, in Gaza on Wednesday, local doctors said. The Israeli army said it had “eliminated” a Palestinian militant who posed a threat to soldiers.

In the latest violence disrupting a fragile three-month-old ceasefire, Palestinian health officials said an Israeli airstrike killed three Palestinian journalists traveling in a car in the central Gaza Strip.

The three men were on a mission sponsored by the Egyptian Committee, which oversees Egyptian humanitarian work in Gaza, to film tent encampments built by Egypt for displaced Palestinians, other local journalists told Reuters. An Egyptian security source confirmed that the vehicle belonged to the committee but gave no further details. The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Earlier on Wednesday, Palestinian medics said three people, including a 10-year-old boy, were killed by an Israeli tank shelling east of Deir Al-Balah in central Gaza. Two other people – a 13-year-old boy and a woman – were killed in two Israeli shootings east of Khan Younis in southern Gaza, they said.

Three more Palestinians were killed in separate shootings in the coastal enclave, bringing Wednesday’s death toll to at least 11, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip. Residents said both shooting incidents occurred in Palestinian-controlled areas. There was no immediate Israeli military comment on the incidents.

Turkiye announces joining the board of directors

Furthermore, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will represent the Turkish president in the Peace Initiative Council, a Turkish source said. Reuters.

Trump “sent an invitation” to “President Tayyip Erdogan” to become a member of the board, a move that was initially aimed at ending the conflict in Gaza but which Trump said would resolve conflicts globally.

Trump is scheduled to preside over a ceremony marking the “Peace Council” at the WEF’s annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, on Thursday. “Hakan [Fidan] we will join,” Erdogan told reporters in Parliament today when asked if he accepted Trump’s invitation.

The White House earlier announced that Fidan was a member of a separate “Gaza Executive Council,” alongside U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Trump special envoy Steve Witkoff, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.

The Turkish source familiar with the matter, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Fidan would also represent Erdogan in the Peace Council at the leadership level. The Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Fidan would attend the signing ceremony on Thursday.

Egypt also accepts Trump’s invitation

Egypt on Wednesday accepted an invitation from US President Donald Trump to join the “Peace Council”, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The initiative was initially aimed at ending the conflict in Gaza, but Trump said it would continue to address conflicts globally.

Italy will not participate in Trump’s “Board of Peace”

Italy will not participate in the “Peace Council” initiative proposed by US President Donald Trump, daily Corriere della Sera reported on Wednesday, citing concerns that joining a body led by the leader of a single country would violate the Italian constitution.

Trump’s plan has so far drawn cautious reactions from Western allies, with diplomats warning it could harm the work of the United Nations.

A source told Reuters that Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, a right-wing leader who has warm relations with Trump, was unlikely to attend the Davos event. The Italian government did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The proposed board would be chaired for life by Trump and would initially focus on the Gaza conflict before expanding to other wars. Member countries would be required to pay a $1 billion membership fee to obtain permanent membership.

Under the Italian constitution, the country can only join international organizations that guarantee “peace and justice among nations” “on an equal footing with other states” – a condition incompatible with American primacy on the proposed board, Corriere said. The newspaper did not cite a source for its article.

Invitations to join the board have been sent to around 60 countries, but only a handful – including Hungary and Israel – have so far accepted without reservation. Adding to concerns among Western allies, the Kremlin said this week that Russian President Vladimir Putin had also been invited.