Pakistan, seven other Muslim countries urge Israel to fulfil Gaza ceasefire commitments

Pakistan and seven other Muslim countries on Tuesday expressed deep concern over the continued humanitarian suffering in Gaza, calling on Israel to fulfil its outstanding commitments under the first phase of the Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict and stressing the need to preserve the ceasefire and end all violations.

The Gaza peace plan, officially the Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict, is a multilateral agreement between Israel and Hamas that aims to address the ongoing Gaza war.

The foreign ministers of Pakistan, Egypt, Türkiye, Indonesia, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates met in New York on Sept 21 on the margins of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly.

In a joint statement, the ministers called on Israel to “immediately fulfil its outstanding commitments” under the first phase of the plan, including ensuring the “immediate, safe and unhindered delivery” of humanitarian assistance and early recovery supplies and facilitating the rehabilitation of critical infrastructure.

They stressed “the imperative of preserving the ceasefire and ending all violations”.

The ministers said the Road Map constituted an “integral part” of the Comprehensive Plan and provided the implementation framework for advancing its second phase.

They said the second phase included “decommissioning alongside full Israeli withdrawal”, the deployment of the International Stabilisation Force (ISF), the assumption by the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG) of its responsibilities throughout the Gaza Strip, and the launch of early recovery and reconstruction across Gaza.

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They called on all parties to fulfil their respective commitments “in good faith and without delay”.

The ministers also reiterated their “categorical rejection” of any measures aimed at the expulsion or forced displacement of the Palestinian people from their homeland or attempts to alter the territorial or demographic character of the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

They deplored what they described as illegal measures aimed at consolidating Israeli control and annexation, including accelerating settlement expansion, land confiscation, demolition of Palestinian homes, settler violence and terrorism, and forced displacement.

The ministers called for the immediate reversal of such measures.

They also expressed “grave concern” over measures undermining the historical and legal status quo of the Muslim and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem.

The ministers welcomed recent measures taken by the United Kingdom, as well as broader national and European efforts, in response to illegal Israeli settlement activity.

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These included measures to halt trade with illegal Israeli settlements, while the ministers called for further effective measures to end settlement expansion and ensure accountability for settler violence.

They also stressed that “Gaza must remain an integral part of the Palestinian territory” and reaffirmed that implementation of the Comprehensive Plan must contribute to the reunification of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip.

The ministers said implementation of the plan must also contribute to a “credible and irreversible pathway” towards the exercise of the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination and the realisation of a “sovereign, viable, and independent Palestinian State with East Jerusalem as its capital” through implementation of the two-state solution.

While commending the leadership of US President Donald Trump, they underscored the “indispensable role” of the United States in ensuring implementation of the Comprehensive Plan.

They called for “sustained and active US engagement” to ensure that all parties, including Israel, fulfil their commitments and obligations and to overcome obstacles to implementation of the Road Map.

The ministers stressed that “tangible progress on the ground” would strengthen the credibility of the Board of Peace and the authority of the plan and create “deeply needed momentum”.

They reaffirmed their readiness to continue working collectively with the United States, the Board of Peace, the Palestinian Authority and all relevant parties to advance the full implementation of the Comprehensive Plan and its Road Map.

The ministers said the collective efforts would seek to alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people, fulfil their right to self-determination and independent statehood, and achieve “just, lasting and comprehensive peace in the region”.