Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and six other Muslim-majority countries condemned Israel’s rejection of the Gaza peace plan roadmap on Sunday, with Pakistan’s foreign ministry describing the move as a direct threat to prospects for lasting peace in the enclave. The roadmap, which Palestinian factions have already accepted, was developed through mediation involving Egypt, Qatar, Turkiye and the United States, working alongside the High Representative for Gaza and the Board of Peace.
The document sets out a series of measures intended to bring the war in Gaza to a close, including the disarmament of armed groups such as Hamas, an Israeli military withdrawal, deployment of an international stabilisation force, transfer of administrative authority to the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, and reconstruction of the territory.
Foreign Ministers Issue Joint Statement Over Israeli Rejection of Gaza Peace Plan Roadmap
In a joint statement issued on Sunday, the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Pakistan, Indonesia, Turkiye, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates said they condemned the declared Israeli rejection of the roadmap as well as Israel’s stance on Palestinian statehood. The ministers accused Israel of undermining implementation of the Gaza peace plan and of obstructing broader efforts to secure a just and lasting peace in the region.
“These positions amount to a direct repudiation of the Comprehensive Plan, jeopardize its implementation, and fundamentally undermine the collective efforts undertaken to achieve a just and lasting peace,” the ministers said. They added that the rejection confirmed Israel now bears responsibility for obstructing efforts to bring peace to Gaza and the wider Occupied Palestinian Territory.
Diplomatic Push Continues in Cairo Amid Israeli Airstrikes
The joint statement came as envoys representing US President Donald Trump met with Egyptian, Qatari and Turkish mediators in Cairo in an effort to advance the Gaza peace plan, even as Israel continued airstrikes in the enclave. Hamas officials were present at some of the discussions involving Trump’s envoy and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and Nickolay Mladenov, Trump’s Board of Peace envoy for Gaza.
A senior Israeli official said Kushner and Mladenov were scheduled to meet on Monday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who had described Trump’s roadmap for Gaza peace as unacceptable in comments made on August 9. The Cairo talks illustrate the continued effort by mediators to keep the process alive despite Israel’s public opposition to key elements of the plan.
Ministers Call for Sustained US Engagement
The eight foreign ministers stressed that rejecting the roadmap amounts to an explicit refusal to proceed with implementation of the broader Gaza peace plan and directly threatens to derail the extensive diplomatic efforts undertaken by the Trump administration to end the war and establish conditions for lasting peace. They underscored the importance of sustained and active US engagement to ensure Israel’s full compliance with the commitments set out under the Comprehensive Plan and its roadmap, and to prevent further obstruction of its implementation.
The statement further placed direct responsibility on Israel for “any consequences resulting from its continued rejection, obstruction, delay or non-compliance,” including any deterioration of conditions on the ground or disruption to efforts aimed at ending the war in Gaza.
Renewed Calls for the Board of Peace to Act
The ministers reaffirmed what they described as the urgent need for full and immediate implementation of the Comprehensive Plan, arguing that doing so was essential to address the grave humanitarian situation in Gaza, ensure security and stability for all parties, and pave the way for reconstruction, recovery and a just and lasting peace grounded in the Palestinian right to self-determination and statehood under international law.
They also underscored the continued role of the Board of Peace and called on all parties to support its efforts to implement the roadmap and advance the second phase of the Comprehensive Plan. The ministers further called on the Board of Peace, with active support from the United States, to take immediate and concrete measures within its mandate to uphold the integrity of the plan and prevent any party from obstructing its implementation.
Published in SouthAsianDesk, August 17th, 2026
Follow SouthAsianDesk on X, Instagram and Facebook for insights on business and current affairs from across South Asia.
