Egypt will host an international summit in Sharm Al-Sheikh on Monday to mark the official signing of the Gaza peace deal.
The summit will be co-chaired by the Egyptian President, Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, and the US President, Donald Trump, with the attendance of leaders from over 20 countries.
Sharm Al-Sheikh Peace Summit
The Egyptian Presidency announced in a statement that Al-Sisi and Trump will co-chair the high-level international gathering, titled “Sharm Al-Sheikh Peace Summit.”
It will take place Monday afternoon in the Egyptian Red Sea resort with the participation of leaders from more than 20 countries.
The summit will witness a signing ceremony for Trump’s peace plan. It aims to “end the war in the Gaza Strip, enhance efforts to bring peace and stability to the Middle East, and usher in a new phase of regional security and stability,” the statement said.
The summit “comes in light of US President Trump’s vision for achieving peace in the region and his relentless efforts to end conflicts around the world.”
Egyptian-US Preparations
The Egyptian Foreign Minister, Badr Abdelatty, and US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, discussed preparations for the summit on Friday, Egypt’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
They explored international participation in the summit and the arrangements for implementing the first phase of the ceasefire agreement.
In the light of this, Abdelatty emphasized the importance of implementing the agreement on the ground during its first and second phases, noting that the agreement brings hope to the peoples of the region, especially the Palestinian people.
Rubio, for his part, described the Sharm Al-Sheikh Peace Summit as a “unique historic event,” commending the role of Egypt in reaching this historic agreement.
Gaza Ceasefire Agreement
The peace summit comes after Hamas and Israel have agreed to Trump’s peace plan, following days of indirect negotiations in Sharm Al-Sheikh, with the mediation of Egypt, Qatar and Türkiye. The negotiations also involved Trump’s envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
The first phase of the plan involves a ceasefire and Israeli military withdrawal to agreed-upon lines. Within 72 hours of military redeployment, Hamas will hand over all the hostages, alive and deceased, to Israeli security forces.
In return, Israel will release 250 Palestinian convicted or suspected of security crimes, in addition to 1,700 adults and 22 minors detained in Gaza during the war, and the bodies of 360 fighters.
Moreover, humanitarian aid flow to the Strip will increase, with 600 trucks allowed to enter Gaza daily and move freely between the enclave’s north and south, two Israeli officials told Reuters.
The Israeli military said it had completed the withdrawal by noon on Friday, starting the 72-hour window for Hamas to release remaining hostages.
Trump’s Participation
On Friday, Trump confirmed his visit to Egypt and Israel on a one-day trip to the Middle East to mark a ceasefire agreement to end the war between Hamas and Israel.
The US President said he would visit Cairo and meet with “a lot of leaders from all over the world.” Trump’s visit to Egypt comes upon an invitation from Al-Sisi.
During his visit to Israel, Trump will deliver a speech before the Knesset and meet with the families of the hostages.
Trump expressed optimism about the ceasefire agreement. “I think it will hold. They’re all tired of the fighting,” the US President said.
Hamas & Netanyahu Absent
The Palestinian movement Hamas will not take part in the Sharm Al-Sheikh Peace Summit. Senior Hamas member, Hossam Badran, told AFP that the group “will not be involved.”
Meanwhile, there is no immediate confirmation about whether the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, will attend the summit. However, Axios reporter Barak Ravid said that Israel will not participate.
Confirmed Participants
Al-Sisi extended invitations to several leaders, including leaders or foreign ministers from Germany, France, the UK, Italy, Cyprus, Qatar, the UAE, Jordan, Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Indonesia.
Axios’ Ravid said that the US has expanded the list of invitees to include Spain, Japan, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Hungary, India, El Salvador, Cyprus, Greece, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Canada, in addition to Iran.
The UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, confirmed his attendance, as well as the Prime Ministers of the UK, Italy and Spain, according to AFP. The French President, Emmanuel Macron, also confirmed he will attend.
Turning Point
The British Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, described the summit as a “historic turning point for the region after two years of conflict and bloodshed.” He will pay “particular tribute” to Trump’s role and thank Egypt, Qatar and Türkiye for their diplomatic efforts in “bringing us to this point,” Downing Street said in a statement.
Moreover, Starmer will urge for continued coordination to secure “swift progress towards phase two” of the deal. He will also reiterate “the UK’s steadfast support and engagement with international partners as we look to secure the ceasefire, get urgently needed humanitarian assistance into Gaza and secure a basis for a lasting peace and security.”
Similarly, Macron will take part in Sharm Al-Sheikh Peace Summit to back the ceasefire deal and discuss the implementation of its next phases, according to Elysee Palace.
The French President will hold discussions “with partners on the next steps of the peace plan’s implementation,” reaffirming France’s commitment to a two-state solution as the basis for lasting peace, security, and reconstruction in the region, the Elysee said.
