Donald Trump and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi will host a peace summit in Sharm el-Sheikh with more than 20 world leaders to end the war in Gaza.
Trump, Sisi call for peace summit in Sharm el-Sheikh to end the war in Gaza
US President Donald Trump and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi will chair a peace summit in Sharm el-Sheikh on Monday aimed at ending the war between Israel and Hamas and ushering in a “new era of stability in the Middle East.”
The meeting will be held in the Red Sea resort town with the participation of leaders from more than 20 countries, the Egyptian president’s press service said.
Confirmed participants include UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Malone, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and French President Emmanuel Macron.
It is not yet known whether Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will attend, while Hamas has declined to attend.
Summit follows ceasefire deal
The meeting was called after a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement between Israel and Hamas brokered by Egypt, Qatar and Turkey.
The talks were attended by US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
According to Reuters, more than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed in the war, most of them civilians. The conflict began after Hamas attacked Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages.
Humanitarian pause and Palestinian return
After the ceasefire was announced, thousands of Palestinians moved into northern Gaza, returning to their destroyed homes.
“It’s an indescribable feeling. Thank God, the war has stopped, the suffering is over,” Gaza resident Nabila Bassa told Reuters, walking with her daughter, who was wounded in the shelling.
But for many, returning home does not mean starting over.
“My house, which I spent 40 years building, disappeared in an instant. I’m glad there’s no more blood, but where will we live?” said Ahmed al-Jabari, standing among the rubble on a street in Gaza City.
Outlook
The Sharm el-Sheikh peace summit could be a turning point in the Middle East settlement if the fragile ceasefire can be preserved.
However, the absence of representatives from Israel and Hamas casts doubt on the feasibility of any long-term solutions, even with the participation of major world leaders.
Related: Hamas and Trump: What’s Behind the Terrorists’ Surprising Decision to Release the Hostages?
