SHARM EL-SHEIKH; Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday praised US President Donald Trump as “a genuine man of peace” for his pivotal role in bringing an end to the war in Gaza, calling the occasion “one of the greatest days in contemporary history.”
The prime minister made these remarks while standing alongside President Trump and other global leaders during a joint press conference in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, shortly after the signing of the Gaza peace agreement.
Shehbaz said the peace deal was the result of months of tireless diplomatic efforts led by President Trump, who, he added, had made the world “a place to live with peace and prosperity.”
The press conference came minutes after mediators Egypt, Qatar, and Turkiye, together with the United States, signed a document formalizing the Gaza ceasefire during an international summit hosted by Egypt in the Red Sea resort city. The details of the document were not made public.
Trump Vows Ceasefire Will ‘Hold Up’
President Trump, speaking at the signing ceremony, expressed confidence that the ceasefire would endure, describing it as a foundation for Gaza’s future. The agreement led to the release of the last remaining Israeli hostages held by Hamas, while Israel simultaneously freed several busloads of Palestinian detainees.
The ceasefire and a partial Israeli military withdrawal, agreed upon last week, brought an end to one of the deadliest offensives of the war — a full-scale assault on Gaza City that had been claiming dozens of lives each day.
Pakistan Renominates Trump for Nobel Peace Prize
Highlighting Pakistan’s past nomination of Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, Prime Minister Shehbaz reiterated his support for the US president’s candidacy. He credited Trump with averting a potential war between nuclear-armed India and Pakistan, as well as playing a decisive role in securing peace in the Middle East.
“Today, again, I would like to renominate this great president for the Nobel Peace Prize because I genuinely feel that he is the most deserving candidate,” Shehbaz said. “He has brought peace not only to South Asia, saving millions of lives, but also to the Middle East through his efforts in Gaza.”
The prime minister went on to describe Trump as “the man the world needed most at this point in time,” saying history would remember him as the leader who stopped seven wars in the past and now an eighth in Gaza. He noted that Trump’s timely intervention helped prevent a full-scale conflict between two nuclear powers.
Shehbaz concluded by calling Trump’s leadership “visionary and exemplary,” saying it had made him a global symbol of hope and peace. He expressed gratitude to Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani for his contributions to the peace efforts.
A visibly moved President Trump thanked Shehbaz for his remarks, admitting that he “did not expect such high praise” for his efforts. Earlier in the press conference, Trump had expressed appreciation for the prime minister’s cooperation and jokingly mentioned that his “favourite” Field Marshal Asim Munir was not present at the event.
Shehbaz Holds Meetings with Global Leaders
Before addressing the media alongside Trump, Prime Minister Shehbaz held a series of meetings with international leaders on the sidelines of the summit.
He met Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, reflecting the spirit of regional unity and a shared commitment to lasting peace. President Abbas thanked Pakistan for its unwavering support to the Palestinian cause, both diplomatically and politically.
Shehbaz also met Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. The leaders expressed satisfaction over the ceasefire agreement and discussed prospects for regional stability.
Additionally, the prime minister met King Abdullah II of Jordan, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Spanish MP Pedro Sanchez, Italian PM Giorgia Meloni, and Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud.
Meanwhile, under the Hamas-Israel prisoner exchange deal, Palestinian detainees returned to Khan Younis after being released from Israeli prisons. The United Nations noted that many of the freed individuals had been “forcibly disappeared” during the war, with nearly 2,000 Palestinians expected to be released overall.
While Israelis marked the return of their hostages, authorities warned Palestinian families against holding celebratory gatherings for the released prisoners, some of whom had spent decades behind bars.
