Ambassador Masood Khan, former President of Azad Jammu and Kashmir and former Ambassador of Pakistan to the United States and the United Nations, has stressed that without an immediate cessation of hostilities and removal of barriers to humanitarian assistance, any peace initiative regarding Gaza would lack credibility.
In his remarks on the evolving situation in Gaza and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Ambassador Khan stated that the environment remains highly volatile due to repeated Israeli attacks and expansion of illegal settlements. He noted that since the ceasefire announced in October last year, approximately 600 Palestinians—mostly civilians, including women and children—have reportedly been killed, underscoring that such actions undermine the very premise of peace.
He stressed that if the Board of Peace is to succeed, it must establish a credible and transparent monitoring mechanism to oversee the ceasefire. Ambassador Khan raised the critical question of whether such monitoring would be conducted under the framework of the Board of Peace, through a parallel mechanism, or in collaboration with the United Nations. He observed that the Board of Peace had been endorsed by the UN Security Council through Resolution 2803, and therefore any sustainable mechanism should ideally work in tandem with the United Nations rather than seek to replace it.
Ambassador Masood Khan cautioned against the creation of parallel structures that might dilute the authority of the United Nations. While acknowledging speculation that a new mechanism could emerge under United States supervision, he reiterated that multilateral legitimacy remains essential for durable peace.
He further underscored that humanitarian assistance is not a concession granted by an occupying power but an inherent right of a population living under occupation. Calling for the immediate establishment of humanitarian corridors without preconditions, he recommended that such corridors be supervised by impartial international bodies to ensure protection of civilians. He noted that previous humanitarian arrangements had failed to prevent tragic incidents in which desperate civilians were killed while attempting to secure food.
Ambassador Khan categorically rejected the use of starvation as a weapon of war and said the Board of Peace must send a clear message that collective punishment and forced deprivation are unacceptable under international humanitarian law.
Addressing the broader political horizon, Ambassador Masood Khan observed that while the Board’s foundational documents speak of dispute resolution and reference self-determination and the two-state solution, there remains a conspicuous absence of a time-bound roadmap for Palestinian statehood. He noted that during consultations, countries such as Saudi Arabia and Pakistan had emphasized the necessity of a clear and credible timeline for the realization of Palestinian statehood.
He raised concerns that recent announcements regarding annexation of occupied Palestinian territories contradict the stated objectives of peace and undermine confidence in the process. “Without movement toward statehood and genuine self-determination,” he stated, “any reconstruction or governance framework will remain incomplete.”
Ambassador Masood Khan described Pakistan’s participation in the Board of Peace as a rare and strategic opportunity. Despite criticism and skepticism, he said Pakistan has acted with prudence and foresight in securing a seat at the diplomatic high table. This platform, he added, enables Pakistan—alongside other Muslim and Arab nations—to advocate firmly for an end to the suffering of the besieged Palestinians, cessation of hostilities, restoration of humanitarian access, and the realization of a just and lasting peace based on the two-state solution.
“Peace cannot be cosmetic,” Ambassador Masood Khan concluded. “It must be rooted in justice, accountability, and the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people.”
