Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt – Former U.S. President Donald Trump and Egyptian President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi will co-chair a Gaza peace summit on Monday in Sharm el-Sheikh,Egypt,bringing together leaders from over 20 countries. The meeting aims to solidify the recently agreed-upon ceasefire and prisoner-swap deal between Israel and Hamas, and to advance efforts toward lasting peace and stability in the Middle East.
The Egyptian presidency announced the summit will focus on ”ending the war in the Gaza Strip” and “ushering in a new era of regional security and stability.”
Confirmed attendees include UN Secretary General António Guterres,British Prime Minister Keir Starmer,Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni,and French President Emmanuel Macron,as well as Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. It remains unclear whether Israeli Prime Minister benjamin Netanyahu will attend. Hamas has stated it will not participate.
The summit follows intense indirect negotiations mediated by Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey, wiht involvement from U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.These negotiations led to the truce and an increase in humanitarian aid entering Gaza.
The conflict began after a Hamas-led incursion into Israel on October 7, 2023, resulting in approximately 1,200 Israeli deaths and 251 hostages taken. Israel’s subsequent military assault on Gaza has resulted in over 67,000 Palestinian deaths, the majority of whom are civilians.
The announcement of the summit coincides with the return of thousands of Palestinians to Gaza, many traveling by foot, car, and cart to assess the damage to their homes. While some express relief at the cessation of hostilities,many have found their neighborhoods reduced to rubble after years of bombardment.
“It is an indescribable feeling; praise be to God,” Nabila Basa told Reuters while traveling with her daughter. “We are very, very happy that the war has stopped, and the suffering has ended.”
Ahmed al-Jabari, standing amidst the wreckage of Gaza City, lamented, “My house, which I built 40 years ago, was gone in a moment… where will we go? Will we live 20 years in a tent?”
A car crash at the Red Sea resort on saturday resulted in the deaths of three Qatari diplomats and injuries to two others, according to security sources.
