ISLAMABAD: Pakistan, together with seven other Arab and Muslim countries, on Friday rejected Israel’s attempt to expel Palestinians by opening the Rafah border crossing with Egypt solely for fleeing Gaza residents, and called for adherence to the peace plan proposed by US President Donald Trump’s administration.

Trump’s Gaza plan calls on Israel to allow humanitarian aid into the territory and keep the Rafah crossing open from both sides.

However, Israel has continued to restrict aid flows, and its military said on Wednesday the crossing would open in the coming days “exclusively for the exit of residents from the Gaza Strip to Egypt.”

“The Foreign Ministers of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, the Republic of Indonesia, the Republic of Türkiye, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the State of Qatar express their deep concern regarding the Israeli statements concerning the opening of the Rafah Crossing in one direction, with the aim of transferring residents of the Gaza Strip into the Arab Republic of Egypt,” said the joint statement circulated in Pakistan by the foreign office.

“The Ministers underscore their absolute rejection of any attempts to expel the Palestinian people from their land and stress the necessity of the full adherence to the plan proposed by US President Donald Trump, including its provisions on keeping the Rafah Crossing open in both directions, ensuring the freedom of movement for the population, and refraining from compelling any resident of the Gaza Strip to leave,” it continued.

The statement appreciated the US president’s commitment to establishing peace in the region and emphasized the importance of implementing his plan “without delay or obstruction” to help consolidate regional stability.

“The Ministers underscore the need to fully sustain the ceasefire, alleviate civilian suffering, ensure the unrestricted entry of humanitarian assistance into the Gaza Strip, initiate early recovery and reconstruction efforts, and create the conditions necessary for the Palestinian Authority to resume its responsibilities in the Gaza Strip,” the statement added.

They reaffirmed their countries’ readiness to work with the United States and all concerned regional and international actors to achieve “a just, comprehensive, and sustainable peace in accordance with international legitimacy and the two-state solution,” including the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the pre-1967 lines with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Pakistan’s foreign office circulated the statement after Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar held a telephone conversation with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan to discuss regional developments, particularly Gaza.

Dar condemned Israel’s plan to partially reopen the Rafah crossing only for fleeing Gaza residents, calling it a “clear violation” of the region’s peace plan.