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

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan has accepted US President Donald Trump’s invitation to join its Peace Board, 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 have accepted the invitation to join the board include Israel, Turkiye, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates.

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

The 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, a further increase in humanitarian aid for the Palestinians, as well as the reconstruction of Gaza,” the statement said.

Read more: Trump invites more world leaders to join ‘Gaza Peace Board’

The government stressed that an immediate and lasting ceasefire remained critical to easing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where months of conflict have left thousands dead and displaced large segments of the population. Islamabad also highlighted the urgent need for unimpeded 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 and stressed that lasting peace in the Middle East could not be achieved without addressing the deep political causes of the conflict.

The FO said Pakistan hoped that efforts under the Peace Board 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.

That process, the declaration 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.

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 inclusion in the Peace Board would likely improve the body’s legitimacy, particularly among Muslim-majority countries, and could help bridge gaps between different international actors involved in peace efforts in Gaza.

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

Pakistan also expressed its readiness to play a constructive role within the Peace Board to help end the suffering of the Palestinian people.

“Pakistan looks forward to continuing to play a constructive role as part of the Peace Board in achieving these goals as well as ending 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 expressed its opinion in international forums, including the UN General Assembly and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, on the need to protect Palestinian civilians and respect 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 Board 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 settlement.

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

Netanyahu accepts invitation to join board of directors

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

Meanwhile, Israeli fire killed at least 11 Palestinians, including two children 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 episode of violence to disrupt a fragile three-month 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 a mission sponsored by the Egyptian Committee, which oversees Egypt’s aid work in Gaza, to film tent camps 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 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, southern Gaza, they said.

Three more Palestinians were killed in separate shootings in the coastal enclave, raising the death toll on Wednesday to at least 11, according to the Health Ministry in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip. Residents said the two shootings occurred in Palestinian-controlled areas. There was no immediate Israeli military comment on those incidents.

Turkiye announces his incorporation to the board of directors

On the other hand, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hakan Fidan, will represent the president of Turkiye in the Peace Board initiative, according to a Turkish source. Reuters.

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

Trump will preside over a ceremony marking the “Peace Meeting” on Thursday at the WEF’s annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland. “Hakan [Fidan] will join,” Erdogan told reporters in parliament today when asked if he would accept 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 with knowledge of the matter, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Fidan would also represent Erdogan on the Peace Board 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 so-called “Peace Board,” 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 he would continue to address conflicts globally.

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

Italy will not participate in the “Peace Board” initiative proposed by US President Donald Trump, the Corriere della Sera newspaper 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, and diplomats have warned it could undermine the work of the United Nations.

A source told 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 would have to pay a fee of $1 billion to secure permanent membership.

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

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