The president of the United States (US), Donald Trump, in a joint presser with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Monday said that Israel is ‘very close’ to a Gaza peace agreement.
President Trump expressed his gratitude to Netanyahu for accepting and agreeing to the 20-point peace treaty, calling it a historic day for peace in the Middle East.
The Prime Minister of Pakistan, Shehbaz Sharif, along with Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, also welcomed the 20-point peace agreement.
He said the Israeli army would gradually leave Gaza upon completion of Gaza peace deal.
“Things that have been occurring for hundreds, if not thousands, of years are now very close to being resolved,” Trump stated, expressing his gratitude to Netanyahu for his role in the peace process. “We have collaborated effectively, and that cooperation extends to many other countries, which is how we can achieve a solution.”
Trump emphasised that his goal is to achieve peace in the broader Middle East, not just in the Gaza Strip. He mentioned that he and Netanyahu discussed various issues such as Iran, the Abraham Accords, and the conflict in Gaza. “This effort is part of a larger vision for peace in the Middle East, let’s refer to it as ‘eternal’ peace in the region,” he said.
“After extensive consultations with our friends and partners throughout the region, I am officially announcing our principles for peace,” Trump declared, adding that the proposed ideas “have received significant approval.”
“These principles were developed with careful consideration and collaboration with the nations involved,” he noted. “I want to express my gratitude to the leaders of many Arab and Muslim nations for their tremendous support in formulating the proposal, as well as to our allies in Europe.”
The U.S. president also thanked Netanyahu for agreeing to the plan and for “trusting that by working together, we can put an end to the death and destruction” in the region.
Earlier, Netanyahu conveyed regret about an Israeli attack during a three-way call with Trump and Qatar’s leader. The White House reported that Netanyahu expressed regret for Israel violating Qatari sovereignty and assured that Israel would not undertake such an attack again in the future.
