Politics
Pakistan, global leaders react to agreement on first phase of Trump’s Gaza deal
US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that Israel and Hamas had reached a long-sought deal for a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release under his plan for ending the two-year-old war in the Palestinian enclave.
The breakthrough, described as a critical step towards halting one of the region’s deadliest conflicts in recent history, follows months of indirect negotiations and mounting international pressure on both sides to reach a resolution.
The announcement prompted a wave of reactions from global leaders, many of whom welcomed the development while urging both sides to honour their commitments under the deal.
‘GREAT day’
“I am very proud to announce that Israel and Hamas have both signed off on the first Phase of our Peace Plan,” Trump said on Truth Social.
“This means that ALL of the Hostages will be released very soon, and Israel will withdraw their Troops to an agreed upon line as the first steps toward a Strong, Durable, and Everlasting Peace.
“All Parties will be treated fairly! This is a GREAT Day for the Arab and Muslim World, Israel, all surrounding Nations, and the United States of America, and we thank the mediators from Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey, who worked with us to make this Historic and Unprecedented Event happen. BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS!”
‘Historic opportunity’
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif hailed the announcement of the Gaza ceasefire and hostage release agreement as “a historic opportunity to secure lasting peace in the Middle East.”
In a post on X, he praised President Donald Trump’s “unwavering commitment to world peace” throughout the negotiation process, as well as the “resolute and wise leadership” of Qatar, Egypt, and Turkiye for their tireless mediation efforts.
PM Shehbaz paid tribute to the “unprecedented suffering” of the Palestinian people, saying their ordeal must “never, ever be repeated.”
He also condemned “recent provocations at Masjid Al Aqsa,” urging the international community to hold “occupiers and illegal settlers to account” and prevent actions that could jeopardise the progress made toward peace.
He reaffirmed Pakistan’s resolve to work with “partners, friends and brotherly nations” to ensure peace, security, and dignity for the Palestinian people in line with their aspirations and relevant UN resolutions.
‘Big day for Israel’
“A big day for Israel,” Netanyahu said in a statement.
“Tomorrow I will convene the government to approve the agreement and bring all our dear hostages home. I thank the heroic IDF soldiers and all the security forces — thanks to their courage and sacrifice, we have reached this day.
“I thank from the bottom of my heart President Trump and his team for their dedication to this sacred mission of freeing our hostages.
“With God’s help, together we will continue to achieve all our goals and expand peace with our neighbours.”
‘Never abandoning our people’s rights until freedom’
“We highly appreciate the efforts of our brothers and mediators in Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey, and we also value the efforts of US President Donald Trump aimed at ending the war completely and achieving a full withdrawal of the occupation from the Gaza Strip,” Hamas said in a statement.
“We call on President Trump, the guarantor states of the agreement, and all Arab, Islamic, and international parties to compel the occupation government to fully implement its obligations under the agreement and to prevent it from evading or delaying the implementation of what has been agreed upon.
“We salute our great people in the Gaza Strip, in Jerusalem and the West Bank, and throughout our homeland and the diaspora, who have demonstrated unparalleled honour, courage, and heroism — confronting the fascist occupation projects that targeted them and their national rights. These sacrifices and steadfast positions have thwarted the Israeli occupation’s schemes of subjugation and displacement.
“We affirm that the sacrifices of our people will not be in vain, and that we will remain true to our pledge — never abandoning our people’s national rights until freedom, independence, and self-determination are achieved.”
‘Permanent political solution’
Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas hailed a Gaza ceasefire deal agreed by Israel and Hamas on Thursday, saying he hoped it could lead to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.
In a statement on social media, Abbas “welcomed the announcement by US President Donald Trump of an agreement to cease the war on the Gaza Strip,” and “expressed hope that these efforts would be a prelude to reaching a permanent political solution… leading to an end to the Israeli occupation of the State of Palestine and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state”.
‘Permanent ceasefire must be secured’
“I welcome the announcement of an agreement to secure a ceasefire and hostage release in Gaza, based on the proposal put forward by President Donald J Trump. I commend the diplomatic efforts of the United States, Qatar, Egypt and Turkey in brokering this desperately needed breakthrough,” Guterres said in a statement.
“I urge all concerned to abide fully by the terms of the agreement. All hostages must be released in a dignified manner. A permanent ceasefire must be secured. The fighting must stop once and for all. Immediate and unimpeded entry of humanitarian supplies and essential commercial materials into Gaza must be ensured. The suffering must end.
“The United Nations will support the full implementation of the agreement and will scale up the delivery of sustained and principled humanitarian relief, and we will advance recovery and reconstruction efforts in Gaza.
“I urge all stakeholders to seize this momentous opportunity to establish a credible political path forward towards ending the occupation, recognising the right to self-determination of the Palestinian people, and achieving a two-state solution that enables Israelis and Palestinians to live in peace and security.
“The stakes have never been higher.”
‘Permanent and comprehensive’
China said on Thursday that it hoped for a “permanent and comprehensive” ceasefire in Gaza, after Israel and Hamas agreed a deal to free the remaining living hostages in the territory.
“China hopes to achieve a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire in Gaza as soon as possible, effectively alleviate the humanitarian crisis, and ease regional tensions,” foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun told a regular news conference.
“China advocates adhering to the principle that ‘Palestinians should govern Palestine,'” Guo said.
‘Greatly pleased’
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed satisfaction Thursday that Israel and Hamas had agreed to the first phase of a ceasefire in Gaza and thanked Donald Trump´s efforts to end the war.
“I am greatly pleased that the Hamas-Israel talks… have resulted in a ceasefire in Gaza, I especially thank US President, Mr Trump, who demonstrated the necessary political will to encourage the Israeli government toward the ceasefire,” Erdogan said on his official X account.
Turkey, which has been closely involved in the negotiations and sent a team to the talks in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm El-Sheikh, would “closely monitor the strict implementation of the agreement”, he added.
The agreement, which will be signed in Egypt on Thursday, involves freeing the remaining hostages and is a major step towards ending the two-year war that has killed tens of thousands of people and unleashed a humanitarian catastrophe.
‘Moment of profound relief’
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday hailed the new Gaza ceasefire deal as “a moment of profound relief that will be felt all around the world”.
“I am grateful for the tireless diplomatic efforts of Egypt, Qatar, Turkiye and the United States, supported by our regional partners, in securing this crucial first step,” he said in a statement.
“This agreement must now be implemented in full, without delay, and accompanied by the immediate lifting of all restrictions on life-saving humanitarian aid to Gaza.”
‘Essential first step’
“Hamas needs to release all of the hostages and Israel must withdraw their troops to the agreed-upon line,” Peters said in a statement.
“This is an essential first step towards achieving lasting peace. We urge Israel and Hamas to continue working towards a complete resolution.”
Israel and Hamas agreed to a long-awaited ceasefire and hostage deal, the first phase of US President Trump’s plan to end a war in Gaza that has killed more than 67,000 people and reshaped the Middle East.
The agreement, to be signed later Thursday, also calls for Israel to release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and allow a surge of humanitarian aid into Gaza — more than two years after the conflict began following Hamas’s unprecedented October 2023 attack on Israel.
The announcement came a day after the second anniversary of the October 7 attacks that killed 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures. 251 people were taken hostage into Gaza, where 47 remain, including 25 the Israeli military says are dead.
According to the Gaza Health Ministry, Israel’s military campaign has killed at least 67,183 Palestinians, figures the United Nations considers credible. The data show that more than half of the dead are women and children.
Gaza’s civil defence agency reported bombardment continuing in the hours before the deal, and an AFP journalist near the border heard multiple explosions on Thursday morning.
Global pressure to end the war has escalated, with much of Gaza flattened, a UN-declared famine unfolding, and Israeli hostage families still longing for the return of their loved ones.
News of the breakthrough prompted celebrations in both Israel and Gaza, with Israeli families of hostages setting off fireworks and Palestinians clapping and cheering at the prospect of peace.
If fully implemented, the accord would mark the closest the sides have come to halting the two-year-old war that has reshaped the Middle East, drawn in Iran, Yemen, and Lebanon, and deepened Israel’s international isolation.
Despite the hopes raised for ending the war, crucial details remain unclear — including the timing of troop withdrawals, a post-war administration for Gaza, and the future role of Hamas.
— With input from AFP and Reuters
“He arrived early on Monday morning with the aim of meeting and holding talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin,” Iranian state news agency IRNA posted on Telegram.
Moscow’s TASS news agency confirmed earlier that Putin plans to meet Araghchi, citing Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
Earlier, Araghchi headed to Russia as peace efforts between Tehran and Washington hung in the balance, following a flurry of regional diplomacy and the collapse of planned talks in Pakistan.
Abbas Araghchi visited Oman between trips to Pakistani capital Islamabad and is expected to meet President Vladimir Putin on Monday, according to the Iranian ambassador.
On Saturday, US President Donald Trump scrapped a planned trip to Islamabad by his envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
In a sign that efforts were ongoing, the Fars news agency said Iran had sent “written messages” to the Americans via mediator Pakistan outlining red lines, including nuclear issues and the Strait of Hormuz.
Fars said the messages were not part of formal negotiations, however.
US media outlet Axios reported on Sunday that Iran had sent a new proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end the war, with nuclear negotiations postponed for a later stage, citing a US official and two other sources with knowledge of the matter.
Iranian state news agency IRNA cited the report without denying it.
A ceasefire in the US-Israeli war with Iran has so far held, but its economic shockwaves continued to reverberate globally.
Iran has sealed off the strait, cutting flows of oil, gas and fertiliser and sending prices soaring, raising fears of food insecurity in developing countries.
Hopes for a second round of talks in Pakistan had centred on a planned visit by Witkoff and Kushner, but Trump cancelled the trip, dismissing it as “sitting around talking about nothing”.
On Sunday, Trump told Fox News that if Iran wanted the talks, “they can come to us, or they can call us.”
Trump faces domestic pressure as fuel prices rise following Iran’s closure of Hormuz, with midterm elections due in November. Polls show the war is unpopular among Americans.
Safe transit
Asked whether cancelling signalled renewed fighting, Trump said: “No, it doesn’t mean that.”
On Saturday, Araghchi met Pakistan’s military chief Asim Munir, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, before travelling to Oman and returning to Islamabad.
He later left for Russia for talks with senior officials, his ministry said.
Russian and Iranian state media confirmed Araghchi’s talks with Putin, citing officials from their respective governments.
Iran’s official IRNA news agency quoted Iran’s envoy to Moscow, Kazem Jalali, saying they would meet in St Petersburg, Russia’s second city.
Araghchi himself posted on X that the talks in Oman had focused on ensuring safe transit through Hormuz, “to benefit of all dear neighbours and the world.”
“Our neighbours are our priority,” he added.
Pressure to end the war has intensified as the Strait of Hormuz remains closed. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they had no intention of lifting their blockade, which has roiled energy markets.
“Controlling the Strait of Hormuz and maintaining the shadow of its deterrent effects over America and the White House’s supporters in the region is the definitive strategy of Islamic Iran,” the Guards said on their official Telegram channel.
The United States has imposed a blockade of Iranian ports in retaliation.
In a statement carried by state media, Iran’s military warned that continued US “blockading, banditry and piracy” would draw a response.
Israel strikes Lebanon
Israel and Hezbollah traded blame over violations of the fragile ceasefire in Lebanon, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying the military was “vigorously” targeting the Iran-backed militia as both sides claimed new attacks.
Hezbollah drew Lebanon into the Middle East war on March 2 by firing rockets at Israel to avenge the death of Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei, with Israel responding with strikes and a ground invasion.
But claims that both sides have breached a 10-day ceasefire agreed earlier this month have continued.
Netanyahu told Sunday’s weekly cabinet meeting that Hezbollah’s actions were “dismantling the ceasefire” while Hezbollah said it would respond to Israeli violations and its “continued occupation”.
Lebanon’s health ministry said Israeli strikes on the country’s south on Sunday killed 14 people, including two women and two children, and wounded 37.
The state-run National News Agency reported that Israeli warplanes had struck after evacuation warnings in Kfar Tibnit.
An Israeli strike on Zawtar al-Sharqiyah, another of the flagged villages, destroyed a mosque and another religious building, the news agency said.
Israel, which reported a soldier killed in combat in south Lebanon, says it can act against “planned, imminent or ongoing attacks”.
“This means freedom of action not only to respond to attacks…but also to pre-empt immediate threats and even emerging threats,” Netanyahu said.
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Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid said on Sunday he would join forces with former premier Naftali Bennett ahead of this year’s elections, in a move aimed at unseating incumbent Benjamin Netanyahu.
Lapid, himself a former premier, said they would run on a joint list in the parliamentary election due in October, with a formal announcement expected later on Sunday.
In a post on X, Lapid said the pair would “announce today the first step in the process of repairing the State of Israel: the merger of Yesh Atid and ‘Bennett 2026’ into a single party led by former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett”.
“The move brings about the unification of the Repair Bloc, enabling all efforts to be focused on leading Israel toward the necessary repair.”
Both have been outspoken critics of Netanyahu’s handling of the country’s wars since October 2023, with Lapid going so far as to label the recent two-week ceasefire agreed with Iran a “political disaster”.
Right-winger Bennett, a longtime supporter of Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, and centrist Lapid previously formed a coalition government in June 2021.
It was replaced at the end of 2022 by the current administration led by Netanyahu, after Bennett said in June of that year that his coalition was no longer tenable and Lapid served a brief stint as caretaker prime minister.
Opinion polls suggest Bennett is the candidate best placed to defeat Netanyahu in the October vote.
The 54-year-old son of American immigrants and a former high-tech entrepreneur, Bennett sold his start-up in 2005 for $145 million (110 million euros).
As a former Israeli commando officer, he has a profile that resonates with part of the country’s younger generation after more than two years of the Gaza war.
Once a Netanyahu adviser, Bennett has over time become a staunch opponent of his former mentor’s policies.
He led several right-wing parties before forming a broad unity government in 2021.
His new running mate, 62-year-old Lapid, is the son of the late journalist and minister Tommy Lapid, a Holocaust survivor, and acclaimed author Shulamit Lapid.
A prominent television journalist, Lapid entered politics in 2012 by founding Yesh Atid, which went on to become the country’s second-largest political force.
He has since served as opposition leader, aside from his brief stint as prime minister.
Netanyahu plans to lead his party’s list in the general election that must be held no later than the end of October.
At 76, the leader of the right-wing Likud party is Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, with more than 18 cumulative years in office across multiple stints.
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Mali’s Defence Minister Sadio Camara was killed in an attack on his residence near the main army base outside Bamako on Saturday, France’s RFI radio and two relatives said on Sunday.
A relative of Camara’s told Reuters he had been killed, while a Malian journalist known to be a brother-in-law of the defence minister posted about his death on Facebook.
A spokesperson for Mali’s defence ministry and a government spokesperson did not respond to requests for comment on Sunday. A statement by the armed forces said operations were continuing in various parts of the country to repel the insurgents.
A Reuters witness reported gunfire in Kati on Sunday morning.
Major shock for Mali’s military leaders
The United Nations called for an international response to violence and terrorism in West Africa’s Sahel region following Saturday’s assault, for which authorities have not provided a death toll.
“The secretary‑general is deeply concerned by reports of attacks in several locations across Mali. He strongly condemns these acts of violence,” a UN spokesperson posted on X.
If confirmed, Camara’s death would represent a major shock for Mali’s military leaders, said Djenabou Cisse, associate fellow at the Foundation for Strategic Research (FRS), which specialises in West African security.
The current government, led by Assimi Goita, took power after coups in 2020 and 2021 and has pursued closer ties with Russia while spurning Western military cooperation — a strategy Camara promoted.
“As a key figure within the junta and a central architect of the Mali–Russia rapprochement, his removal would underscore JNIM’s capacity to strike at the core of state power,” Cisse said.
Fate unclear of strategic city Kidal
In addition to Kati, Saturday’s strike hit near Bamako airport and in localities further north, including Mopti, Sevare and Gao.
The fate of the strategic city of Kidal, a former stronghold for the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA), was unclear on Sunday.
Ulf Laessing, head of the Sahel programme at German think tank the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, said the attack was a setback for Russia, which backed the military-led government after it kicked out French, US and other Western forces.
“For Russia, the attack has been a disaster,” Laessing said. “They were unable to prevent the fall of the highly symbolic Tuareg stronghold of Kidal and now need to leave this northern city.”
Saturday’s attacks are the latest sign that Mali’s government has failed to deliver greater security despite promising to do so.
The government has recently pursued closer ties with Washington, which has sought to rebuild cooperation on security and explore mining opportunities.
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