Pakistan accepts Trump’s invitation to become a member of the ‘Peace Agency’: 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 (MOF) announced on Wednesday. Other countries that have accepted the invitation to join the board include Israel, Turkiye, Egypt and the UAE.

In a statement, the State Department said the decision was taken following an invitation extended by Trump to Prime Minister Shehbaz. The Peace Council has been constituted within the framework of UN Security Council Resolution 2803, which calls for concrete steps to resolve the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

The FO said Pakistan’s participation reflects its longstanding commitment to international peace and security, as well as its consistent 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, further scaling up of humanitarian assistance to the Palestinians, as well as reconstruction of Gaza,” the statement said.

The government stressed that an immediate and durable ceasefire remained essential to ameliorate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where months of conflict have left thousands dead and displaced large swaths of the population. Islamabad also stressed 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 issue, stressing that lasting peace in the Middle East could not be achieved without addressing the root political causes of the conflict.

The 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, time-bound political process”, in accordance with international law and relevant UN resolutions.

Such a process, the statement added, must culminate in the establishment of an independent, sovereign and contiguous State of Palestine based on the pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.

Read more: Trump invites more global leaders to join Gaza Peace Council

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

Diplomatic sources said Pakistan’s admission to the Peace Council was likely to increase the body’s legitimacy, especially among Muslim-majority countries, and could help bridge the gap between various international stakeholders involved in the Gaza peace effort.

The statement did not detail the composition of the Peace Council or its operational modalities, but officials indicated that the forum was expected to play a facilitating role in coordinating ceasefire arrangements, humanitarian assistance and post-conflict reconstruction, while supporting a broader policy track under UN auspices.

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

“Pakistan looks forward to continue playing a constructive role as part of the Board of Peace for the achievement of these goals as well as to end the suffering of our Palestinian brothers and sisters,” the 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 UN General Assembly and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, about 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 in Gaza at a time when global efforts are underway to prevent further escalation and lay the groundwork for a political solution.

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

Netanyahu accepts the invitation to join the board

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accepted Trump’s invitation on Wednesday to join the so-called “Peace Agency,” an initiative initially aimed at ending the conflict in Gaza before potentially expanding to address conflicts elsewhere, Netanyahu’s office said in a statement on X.

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

In the latest violence to disrupt 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 were on an assignment sponsored by the Egyptian Committee, which oversees Egypt’s relief work in Gaza, to film tent camps built by Egypt for displaced Palestinians, other local journalists said. 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 Wednesday, Palestinian doctors said three people, including a 10-year-old boy, were killed by Israeli tank shelling east of Deir Al-Balah in central Gaza. Two others – a 13-year-old boy and a woman – were killed in two Israeli shootings in eastern Khan Younis in southern Gaza, they said.

Three other Palestinians were killed in separate shootings across the coastal enclave, bringing Wednesday’s death toll to at least 11, according to the Gaza health ministry. Residents said the two shooting incidents took place in Palestinian-controlled areas. There was no immediate Israeli military comment on these incidents.

Turkiye joins the board

Separately, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will represent Turkey’s president in the Board of Peace initiative, a Turkish source said. Reuters.

Trump had extended an invitation to President Tayyip Erdogan to join the board, an initiative originally aimed at ending the conflict in Gaza but which Trump has said will resolve conflicts globally.

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

The White House had previously announced that Fidan was a member of a separate “Gaza Executive Board” along with US Secretary of State Marco ⁠Rubio, Trump’s 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 Board of Peace 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 accepted an invitation from Trump on Wednesday to join the so-called “Peace Council,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.

The initiative was initially driven by the goal of ending the conflict in Gaza, but Trump has said it would continue to resolve conflicts globally.

Italy will not participate in Trump’s “Peace Agency”

Italy will not join the proposed “Board of Peace” initiative, the Corriere della Sera daily reported on Wednesday, citing concerns that joining a body led by a single country’s leader would violate Italy’s constitution.

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

A source said so Reuters that Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, a right-wing leader who has had 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 its mandate to other wars. Member countries will be required to pay a fee of US$1 billion to secure permanent membership.

According to Italy’s constitution, the country can only join international organizations that ensure “peace and justice among nations” “on equal terms with other states” – a condition incompatible with US primacy within the proposed board, Corriere said. The newspaper did not cite a source for its report.

Invitations to join the board have been sent to about 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.