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ISLAMABAD: The death of a Pakistan army major in northwest Pakistan has brought the military’s toll to 12 in two days of back-to-back operations against militants, the army said on Thursday.

In the latest incident, an army major was killed in a gunfight in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military’s media wing.

The skirmish, which occurred during an intelligence-based operation in Dera Ismail Khan district, killed seven Pakistani Taliban militants who had been involved in attacks against security forces and civilians.

“Weapons and ammunition were also recovered from the killed khwarij (Pakistani Taliban militants),” the ISPR said, adding that a sanitization operation was being conducted in the vicinity.

The development comes a day after 11 security personnel, including a lieutenant colonel and a major, and 19 militants were killed in an overnight gunbattle in KP’s Orakzai district, according to the ISPR.

The Pakistani Taliban, or the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), and other militant groups have frequently targeted security forces convoys and check-posts, besides targeted killings and kidnappings of law enforcers and government officials in recent months.

Pakistan’s northwestern tribal regions turned into militant hotspots after the US invasion of Afghanistan in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks. Islamabad launched multiple military operations over the last two decades to push away militants but they have managed to regroup and the threat has persisted in the rugged, mountainous region.

Pakistan has frequently accused Afghanistan of allowing the use of its soil and India of backing militant groups for attacks against Pakistan. Kabul and New Delhi both deny the allegation.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday said Israel and Hamas’ agreement on the first phase of US President Donald Trump’s truce plan is a “historic opportunity” to secure lasting peace in the Middle East, praising the leaders of the US and other regional states for their role in the agreement.

Indirect talks in Egypt yielded an agreement on the initial stage of Trump’s 20-point framework to bring peace to the Palestinian enclave, just a day after the second anniversary of Israel’s war on Gaza that has killed more than 67,000 Palestinians.

The accord, if fully implemented, would bring the two sides closer than any previous effort to halt a war that had evolved into a regional conflict, drawing in countries such as Iran, Yemen and Lebanon, deepened Israel’s international isolation and reshaped the Middle East.

Trump announced the initial phase, which includes a ceasefire and hostage deal, thought it was short on detail and left many unresolved questions that could still lead to the collapse of the agreement, as has happened with previous peace efforts.

“President Trump’s leadership throughout the process of dialogue and negotiations reflects his unwavering commitment to world peace,” Sharif said in a post on X.

“The resolute and wise leaders of Qatar, Egypt and Turkiye are also to be applauded for their untiring efforts to negotiate a deal. Most of all, we must all pay tribute to the Palestinian people who have suffered in an unprecedented manner, one that should never, ever be repeated.”

Trump announced the deal on Truth Social, saying it meant the release of all hostages and Israel’s withdrawal of troops to an “agreed upon line.” The agreement could pave the way for desperately needed humanitarian aid to be immediately sent to Gaza Strip, where a global hunger monitor said in August over half a million people were experiencing famine.

Gaza authorities say more than 67,000 people have been killed and much of the enclave has been flattened since Israel began its military response to the Hamas cross-border attack on Oct. 7, 2023. Around 1,200 people were killed and 251 were taken hostage back to Gaza, according to Israeli officials, with 20 of the 48 hostages still held believed to be alive.

Pakistan, which does not recognize Israel, has consistently called for a ceasefire and uninterrupted delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza. Islamabad backs an independent, sovereign and contiguous Palestinian state, based on pre-1967 borders.

“The world must hold the occupiers and illegal settlers to account and prevent any further actions that undermine the enormous efforts made by President Trump to reduce tensions and pave the way for lasting peace,” Sharif said.

“We will continue to work with partners, friends and the leaders of brotherly nations to ensure that peace, security and dignity for the Palestinian people are established in accordance with their wishes and UN resolutions.”

Hamas confirmed it had reached an agreement to end the war, saying the deal includes an Israeli withdrawal from the enclave and a hostage-prisoner exchange. But the group called on Trump and guarantor states to ensure Israel fully implements the ceasefire, it added in a statement.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he would convene his government on Thursday to approve the agreement.