Trump sits with Muslim world leaders for Gaza peace deal

NEW YORK (Dunya News) – After an aggressive speech at the UN General Assembly rejecting growing calls for recognition of a Palestinian state, US President Donald Trump met Muslim leaders — including Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif — to present his roadmap for ending Israel’s war on Gaza.

The meeting, held on the sidelines of the 80th UNGA in New York, brought together leaders from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, Egypt, Jordan, Turkiye and Indonesia.

Speaking to Muslim leaders ahead of the consultations, Trump said in a televised interaction: “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 added that although he had already held 32 meetings, this one was “very important because we’re gonna end something that should’ve probably never started.”

Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani thanked Trump for convening the talks, noting that their collective goal was to stop the war and secure the release of captives. “We count on your leadership to end this war and to help the people of Gaza,” he said.

Trump’s UN speech

In his UNGA address earlier, Trump argued that recognising Palestine would reward the “horrible atrocities” of Hamas. He urged the international community to focus on freeing prisoners in Gaza instead, calling for a “ceasefire-for-prisoners” arrangement covering both living and deceased captives. “We have to stop the war in Gaza immediately. We have to negotiate peace right away,” he stressed.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, responding to Trump’s remarks, welcomed his “commitment to peace”, describing him as “indeed a man of peace”. He also reminded the assembly of Trump’s role in averting a potential war between India and Pakistan, saying: “For that, we thank him from the depths of our hearts.” The comments came shortly before the multilateral session with Muslim leaders, which Shehbaz attended alongside Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.

When asked by reporters about the upcoming discussions, Shehbaz declined to elaborate, saying it was “not the right time” and that he would only comment once the meeting concluded. The PM Office later released photos of Shehbaz in conversation with leaders including Jordan’s King Abdullah II, Qatar’s emir, and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto.

Although both the White House and Pakistan’s Washington mission were expected to issue statements after the talks, none were released by press time.

Outline of Trump’s plan

According to the White House, Trump’s proposal includes a phased Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, deployment of regional peacekeeping forces, and an internationally funded reconstruction and transition programme for the devastated enclave.

Diplomatic sources cited by Israel’s Channel 12 and US outlet Axios reported that while Israel did not draft the plan, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had been briefed on its key points. The framework envisions involvement of the Palestinian Authority but explicitly excludes Hamas, which Washington and Tel Aviv say must be dismantled.

Washington hopes Arab and Muslim states will contribute troops to Gaza, enabling Israel’s exit, and provide funding for rebuilding efforts, Axios said.

Ahead of the leaders’ meeting, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Fox News that the only long-term solution lies in a negotiated settlement. He explained that Palestinians would govern their own territory, but it must not serve as a base for attacks on Israel.

Speaking separately to CBS News, Rubio described the multilateral gathering as “one last shot” at ending the Gaza conflict, freeing all captives, and initiating a humanitarian relief programme.