ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday hoped that the brief pause in fighting in Gaza between Hamas and Israel turns into a permanent ceasefire so that the dream of a Palestinian state can be materialized “sooner rather than later.”

Israel and Hamas agreed to an uneasy truce in January which brought about a pause in 15 months of fighting between the two sides. The first phase of the uneasy truce is due to expire in early March and details of a planned subsequent phase have not been agreed.

Tensions, however, have once again surged despite the truce and a series of exchange of prisoners between both sides. Israel on Sunday announced an expansion of military operations against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, where violence has soared throughout the Gaza war. 

Speaking at a joint press conference with Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev in Baku, Sharif said there is “complete unanimity” among Pakistan and Azerbaijan on the need for a two-state solution to resolve the Middle East crisis. 

“And I think today is the time that this pause in Gaza will now be converted into a permanent ceasefire,” Sharif told reporters. “And then I think the dream of a two-state [solution] of this area, the Palestine state, will be materialized in times to come sooner rather than later.”

Israel killed around 48,000 Palestinians in Gaza via relentless aerial bombardment and ground military offensives since Hamas’ surprise attack on Oct. 7, 2023. The attack resulted in the deaths of more than 1,200 people and Hamas taking 251 Israeli hostages. 

Since the ceasefire took hold on Jan. 19, Hamas has released 25 living Israeli hostages in staged ceremonies, often flanked by masked gunmen and forced to speak.

After six were freed on Saturday, Israel put off the planned release of more than 600 Palestinians, citing what Netanyahu called “humiliating ceremonies” in Gaza.

Pakistan does not recognize nor have diplomatic relations with Israel and calls for an independent Palestinian state based on “internationally agreed parameters.”

Since the beginning of Israel’s war in 2023, the South Asian country has dispatched several relief consignments for Gaza, besides establishing the ‘Prime Minister’s Relief Fund’ that aims to collect public donations for the war-affected people.