New York (TDI): US President Donald Trump, after strongly rejecting calls at the UN General Assembly for Palestinian statehood, turned to key Muslim leaders in New York on Tuesday in an effort to chart a path toward ending Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza.
The meeting, held on the sidelines of the 80th UNGA at UN headquarters, brought together leaders from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, Egypt, Jordan, Turkiye and Indonesia. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar represented Pakistan.
In a brief televised exchange before the talks, Trump told the assembled leaders, “We have to get the hostages back… This is the group that can do it, more than any other group in the world. So it’s an honour to be with you.” He described the session as one of his most important during the week, saying it was aimed at “ending something that should never have started.”
Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani thanked Trump for convening the gathering at a critical moment. “We are here only to stop the war and bring the prisoners back,” he said, stressing that Gaza’s people urgently needed relief.
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Earlier in the day, Trump used his General Assembly address to warn that recognizing Palestine as a state would amount to rewarding “atrocities” by Hamas. He urged the world to instead focus on securing a ceasefire tied to the release of hostages, alive or dead. “We have to stop the war in Gaza immediately. We have to immediately negotiate peace,” Trump told delegates.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, responding to Trump’s remarks, welcomed his stated desire for peace and recalled Washington’s role in defusing past tensions between India and Pakistan. “For that we thank him from the depths of our hearts,” he said.
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According to US officials, the emerging plan being discussed reportedly involves a phased Israeli pullout from Gaza, the deployment of a regional peacekeeping force, and a reconstruction effort backed by international donors. The Palestinian Authority would have a role in governance, but Hamas would be excluded.
