Since yesterday, the world watched tears, joy, hope, and cautious optimism as an unprecedented hostage-for-prisoner swap took effect. All living Israeli hostages held by Hamas were released; in return, nearly 2,000 Palestinian detainees and prisoners were freed by Israel. The emotional reunion scenes across Israel and Gaza, and the jubilant welcome for freed Palestinians, marked not just a human moment, but a turning point in a brutal war that has raged for more than two years.
- Pakistan’s Historical Ties to the Palestinian Cause
- Pakistan Steps into the Spotlight: Diplomacy, Support, and Strategy
- 1. Vocal endorsement & strategic diplomacy
- 2. Offering a 7-point peace plan
- 3. Acting as a “constructive” broker
- 4. Balancing regional fault lines
- Why Pakistan Matters – Beyond Symbolism
- Risks, Constraints, and the Road Ahead
- A Vision of Pakistan’s Role in a Post-War Gaza
- The author Anum Malik, is affiliated with the State News Agency and contributes her research to the think tank, CDS.
- *The views and opinions expressed herein, and any references, are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of the Centre for Development and Stability (CDS).
U.S. President Donald Trump arrived in Israel soon after the first hostages were freed, delivering a speech at the Knesset and hailing a “historic dawn in a new Middle East.” He then flew on to Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, where over 20 leaders gathered to cement the framework for a broader Gaza peace plan, signing a declaration under the aegis of Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, and the United States.
Yet beyond the labels of historic and new dawn, the real challenges lie ahead: Israeli troop withdrawal schedules, Hamas’s disarmament, the governance of Gaza, reconstruction, and the broader geopolitical rearrangements in the region. The first phase of the peace framework has succeeded, but phases two, three, and beyond remain fraught with potential pitfalls.
Amid this hopeful but fragile moment, Pakistan’s presence and significance, though less visible than that of Egypt, Qatar or Turkey, merit careful attention. Pakistan has long upheld the Palestinian cause, and now stands poised to assert a more active diplomatic role in the shifting landscape of Middle Eastern peace.
Pakistan’s Historical Ties to the Palestinian Cause
From its earliest days, Pakistan has strongly identified with the Palestinian struggle. It opposed the partition plan for Palestine at the UN, refusing to endorse the establishment of a Jewish state at the expense of Arab rights. Over decades, Pakistani leaders have affirmed support for a viable, sovereign state of Palestine along pre-1967 lines, with East Jerusalem (Al Quds) as its capital.
In conflicts across the Arab world, Pakistan has often aligned with Arab states, offering moral, diplomatic, and sometimes security cooperation. Military ties exist: Pakistan has provided training and advisory support to several Gulf and Arab militaries over decades. Even so, Pakistan’s policy toward the Middle East has often followed a careful balancing act, acknowledging its strong emotional and ideological alignment with Palestine, while navigating the complex rivalries among Saudi Arabia, Iran, and other regional actors.
Pakistan Steps into the Spotlight: Diplomacy, Support, and Strategy
1. Vocal endorsement & strategic diplomacy
When the ceasefire and hostage deal first took shape, Pakistan publicly welcomed the effort, its foreign ministers joined a collective statement with several Muslim and Arab states affirming support for Trump’s plan. At the UN, Pakistan pledged to actively engage in the consultative process to help ensure a sustainable peace in Gaza.
In Sharm el-Sheikh, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif lauded the ceasefire as having saved millions of lives, and nominated President Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize for bringing peace to Gaza. Pakistan also sent a high-level delegation, signaling that Islamabad intends not just to watch from the sidelines but to participate in shaping what comes next.
2. Offering a 7-point peace plan
Pakistan has not limited itself to praise. In August 2025, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar presented a seven-point plan to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) aimed at ending the conflict in Gaza and charting a path to lasting peace. This move underscores that Pakistan seeks a more substantive, programmatic role, not merely symbolic backing.
3. Acting as a “constructive” broker
While Pakistan may not be directly mediating between Israel and Hamas, it positions itself as a facilitator among Muslim, Arab, and international stakeholders. Islamabad has engaged in quiet diplomacy with Iran, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and other powers to help deescalate regional tensions. Saudi leadership, for one, has reportedly commended Pakistan’s role in peace efforts involving Iran and Israel.
Pakistani diplomacy also bets on moral authority: as a Muslim-majority country that consistently backs Palestine, Islamabad can claim a voice in any future governance architecture for Gaza or in reconciliation efforts.
4. Balancing regional fault lines
One of Pakistan’s greatest challenges, and strategic tests is balancing its ties with Saudi Arabia and other Gulf States, its relationships with Iran, and its evolving rapport with the United States. Pakistan’s foreign policy has long attempted to thread this needle, providing rhetorical and diplomatic support for Palestine, while maintaining crucial relationships with pragmatic regional powers and major powers.
In recent months, Pakistan took a firm stance condemning the Israeli strikes on Iran, even while nominating Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize. That kind of conditional diplomacy, a mixture of principle and realpolitik, typifies Pakistan’s approach in a volatile region.
Why Pakistan Matters – Beyond Symbolism
- Voice among the Muslim world
Pakistan remains a key player within the OIC and the broader Islamic diplomatic network. When Pakistan backs an initiative, it helps lend legitimacy and moral weight within Muslim-majority countries. - Bridge-builder & mediator potential
Because of its relationships with many regional actors, Pakistan could serve as a mediator between divergent camps: Arab, Iranian, Gulf, and even internal Palestinian factions. - New strategic relevance in U.S. and global designs
As Washington reengages in the Middle East, Pakistan’s strategic location, alliances, and military capacity may draw renewed attention as a partner in security and reconstruction initiatives. - Moral and symbolic continuity
Much of the Palestinian cause is fought in the realm of public narrative, international law, and Islamic solidarity. Pakistan’s consistency over decades gives it a moral standing that few non-Arab Muslim states can claim.
Risks, Constraints, and the Road Ahead
Yet Pakistan’s path is not free of risk:
- Overextension and credibility
If Islamabad asserts too much influence without corresponding capacity or success, it risks being sidelined or even seen as overreaching. - Regional tensions and backlash
Acting more visibly in Gaza carries the danger of antagonizing states who feel sidelined—or of alienating partners if Pakistan’s positions conflict. - Domestic pressures
The Pakistani public is deeply sympathetic to the Palestinian cause. If Islamabad is seen as delaying action or not doing enough, that domestic pressure could become politically costly. - Fragile peace architecture
A ceasefire is only the beginning. If phases two and three (withdrawal, disarmament, governance) fail or stall, the entire process could collapse, tarnishing any reputational gains for Pakistan.
A Vision of Pakistan’s Role in a Post-War Gaza
In crafting a forward-looking narrative, here is how Pakistan can position itself:
- As a guardian of Muslim, Arab and Palestinian rights, consistently offering principled support.
- As a bridge between Arab, Muslim, and Western powers, helping coordinate reconstruction, security architecture, and governance in Gaza.
- As a diplomatic organizer and guarantor, perhaps proposing an Islamabad-led forum (or coordinating through OIC) to monitor implementation of peace agreements.
- As a supporter of reconstruction, contributing to humanitarian relief, rebuilding infrastructure, and capacity-building in Gaza, in partnership with Muslim and international donors.
When people speak 20 years from now of the Gaza peace process, Pakistan should not merely be a footnote. If it plays its cards wisely, it can be one of the actors whom both Israel and the Palestinians recall as having helped shape a stable, dignified outcome.
