Riyadh, Aug. 1 -- Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Qatar have issued official statements welcoming progress on the implementation of the comprehensive peace plan for the Gaza Strip announced by US President Donald Trump, while underscoring that lasting peace hinges on the full withdrawal of Israeli forces and the eventual establishment of an independent Palestinian state.

A draft plan released on Thursday outlines a phased process that would begin within 14 days of formal approval by all parties. Officials said the roadmap builds on a previously agreed 20-point Gaza peace plan, converting it into a phased implementation framework after eight months of negotiations that followed the release of hostages and the return of bodies.

The Ministry of ...