Arab and Muslim nations welcome Hamas response to peace plan

Israel and Hamas due to hold indirect talks on Sunday and Monday

Gaza has been at the heart of a brutal Israeli army campaign in response to a cross-border attack by Hamas on October 7, 2023. EPA

The UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, Jordan, Turkey, Indonesia and Pakistan on Sunday welcomed Hamas’s response to US President Donald Trump’s peace plan for Gaza.

In a joint statement released on Sunday, the foreign ministers of the eight countries also welcomed Mr Trump’s call on Israel to stop the bombing in the enclave.

“The Foreign Ministers reiterated their joint commitment to support efforts towards the implementation of the proposal, to work for the immediate end of the war on Gaza, and achieve a comprehensive agreement,” they said.

They called for the “immediate launch of negotiations to agree on mechanisms to implement the proposal and address all of its aspects”.

The statement comes as Israel, Hamas and mediators prepare for meetings in Egypt aimed at mapping the way forward.

It follows comments from Dr Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to President Sheikh Mohamed, who on Sunday said “all eyes are on Gaza” amid hopes of a “lasting peace”.

“All eyes are on Gaza today, on ending the suffering of its people, securing the release of hostages and prisoners and seeking prospects for a lasting peace that spares the region and its people from the cycle of these devastating wars,” Dr Gargash wrote on X.

“As always, the United Arab Emirates will fulfil its active and responsible political and humanitarian role during this critical period, in support of the region’s stability and security.”

What happens next?

Those in the enclave know all too well the situation is precarious, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warning late on Saturday that “Hamas will be disarmed … either diplomatically via Trump's plan or militarily by us”.

He said he hopes to announce the release of all hostages from Gaza “in the coming days” and that he had sent a delegation to Egypt “to finalise technical details”.

The Israeli leader spoke after Hamas said it had accepted some elements of a plan put forward by Mr Trump to end the war. Mr Trump welcomed the Hamas response but warned on Saturday that “Hamas must move quickly, or else all bets will be off”.

US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff was travelling to Cairo for talks with Egyptian officials on the way forward, sources told The National, while the White House told US media that Mr Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner will attend as well.

Egypt's Foreign Ministry announced the talks but gave no further details.