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As world leaders gathered in Egypt to discuss Gaza’s post-war future, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif took many by surprise by hailing US President Donald Trump for his “outstanding contributions” to stop the India-Pakistan conflict. His remarks left several leaders visibly stunned, including Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, whose famously vivid expressions have often been caught on camera.

“Pakistan has nominated President Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize for his outstanding, extraordinary contributions to stop (the) war between India and Pakistan and then achieve a ceasefire. And today again, I would like to nominate this great president for the Nobel Peace Prize,” Sharif said at the gathering.

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As Sharif spoke, Trump stood to his right, with Meloni and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer positioned just behind them.

The moment Sharif announced that Pakistan had nominated Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, Meloni instinctively covered her mouth, not really revealing what she felt at the moment.

Even after lowering her hand, the Italian leader kept a straight face as Sharif continued his praise of Trump.

Despite India repeatedly rejecting Trump’s claims of brokering a ceasefire between India and Pakistan in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor earlier this year, the US President hasn’t stopped giving himself credit for resolving the conflict.

Just last week, Trump told reporters that his repeated threats of imposing sanctions had helped prevent several conflicts from escalating, including the one between India and Pakistan.

On Monday, more than 20 world leaders attended the Gaza Peace Summit co-chaired by Trump and his Egyptian counterpart, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, to finalise the framework of the US-brokered peace deal and discuss post-war reconstruction.

At the high-level gathering, Trump signed a landmark document formalising the ceasefire agreement.

Earlier in the day, Hamas returned all living Israeli hostages, while Israel freed almost 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees as part of the first phase of the peace deal.

TRUMP’S VERY GOOD FRIEND PRAISE FOR PM MODI

President Donald Trump described Prime Minister Narendra Modi as “a very good friend” and praised him for “doing a fantastic job.” He then expressed optimism that “Pakistan and India are going to live very nicely together,” turning to Shehbaz Sharif, who responded with a smile.

Trump also praised Pakistan’s military leadership and said regional peace “depends on good friends doing good things”.

Gesturing toward the Pakistani leader, the President queried, “He is going to help make that happen, right?”

India was represented at the Gaza Peace Summit by Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh, the first Indian minister to officially meet Trump since Operation Sindoor.

Singh attended as Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s special envoy.

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