Pakistan and seven other countries announce joint entry into Gaza ‘Board of Peace’

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan, Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar issued a joint statement on Wednesday announcing their shared decision to join the newly formed “Board of Peace,” a US-led initiative aimed at ending the conflict in Gaza and supporting long-term peace efforts, Pakistan Foreign Office said.

The statement said that each country will complete formal accession procedures in accordance with its own legal requirements, and all nations reaffirmed their support for US President Donald Trump’s peace efforts and the implementation of the Board’s mission.

It said that the Board of Peace was established under the comprehensive plan to end the Gaza conflict, which was endorsed by the United Nations Security Council resolution 2803 in November 2025.

“That resolution gave international backing to Trump’s 20-point plan for Gaza, seeking to secure a ceasefire and improve humanitarian conditions following prolonged fighting,” it said.

According to the joint communiqué, the mission of the Board of Peace is to consolidate a permanent ceasefire, support the reconstruction of Gaza, and advance a just and lasting peace grounded in the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and statehood under international law.

The statement also said the Board’s work will pave the way for security and stability for all countries and peoples of the region, highlighting reconstruction, humanitarian assistance and political progress toward an independent Palestinian state.

Pakistan’s acceptance of the invitation, which was extended to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif by Trump, was framed as part of Islamabad’s commitment to supporting the implementation of the Gaza peace plan under the UN resolution.

Pakistan has said it hopes the initiative will lead to increased humanitarian aid, a permanent ceasefire and reconstruction efforts in the war-torn territory. The broader initiative has garnered support from several countries in the Middle East and beyond, though some Western nations have been cautious or declined to participate, raising concerns about how the new body might interact with traditional United Nations mechanisms for peace and conflict resolutio