US responsible for ensuring Israel’s compliance with Gaza peace deal: JI chief

LAHORE: Chief of Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman has said that the Gaza peace agreement is the outcome of Hamas’ and the Palestinian people’s heroic struggle.

United States and the mediating countries, he added while addressing Children’s Gaza Million March on Thursday, will bear full responsibility for ensuring Israel’s compliance with its terms.

Rehman announced that Alkhidmat Foundation will construct a Rs 3 billion hospital in Gaza once the blockade is lifted and will also launch a nationwide campaign to raise USD 1 billion in aid for the people of Palestine. He vowed to personally lead the fundraising campaign for Palestinian relief and reconstruction.

“Pakistani nation stands for the establishment of a single, independent Palestinian state and will never recognize Israel,” he said, paying tribute to the thousands of children, parents, and teachers who participated in the march to show solidarity with the people of Gaza.

He said the peace deal, signed between Hamas and Israel on equal terms, proves that freedom is achieved through resistance, not submission. Palestinians, he said, have demonstrated unmatched courage and sacrifice, defending Islam’s first Qibla, Masjid al-Aqsa. “Israel remains an occupying and illegitimate state, backed and emboldened by the United States in its aggression against Muslims,” he added.

Rehman recalled that for two years Israel bombarded Gaza, killing thousands of women and children, yet failed to break the spirit of the Palestinian people or secure the release of a single captive from Hamas. “Through sacrifice and struggle, Hamas has earned global recognition of its legitimate existence. Hamas is a democratic and representative force of the Palestinian people, fighting for freedom in accordance with the United Nations Charter,” he said.

He added that the Gaza truce marks the beginning of a new chapter, but now it is Donald Trump’s real test—to see how he restrains Israeli aggression and ensures lasting peace. He demanded the Government of Pakistan to allow Hamas to open an office in Islamabad and that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif advocate for a one-state solution. He urged the government to play a leadership role in the Muslim world, saying that as a nuclear power, Pakistan must help unite Muslim nations to prevent further attacks on the Ummah.

In a separate statement on social media platform X, Rehman said the Gaza ceasefire agreement reflects the steadfastness of the Palestinian people. He noted that the deal provides for the exchange of prisoners and the entry of large-scale humanitarian aid into Gaza without compromising Palestinians’ right to self-defence. “It is to Hamas’ credit,” he said, “that it negotiated the truce under extremely difficult circumstances without compromising its freedom or sovereignty.”

Rehman added that it is now the responsibility of the United States, Muslim countries, and especially the mediators to ensure Israel’s implementation of the deal, so that the genocide in Gaza ends permanently, reconstruction begins, and an independent Palestinian state is established. He warned that Benjamin Netanyahu is an enemy of peace and that the international community must monitor his actions closely.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025