An international peace summit will convene in Egypt’s Sharm el-Sheikh tomorrow to finalise an agreement aimed at ending the war in Gaza. US President Donald Trump and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi will co-chair the meeting, which is expected to see participation from leaders of more than 20 countries, including UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and UN Secretary-General António Guterres. According to a statement from the Egyptian presidency, the summit aims to end the war in the Gaza Strip, enhance efforts to bring peace and stability to West Asia, and usher in a new era of regional security and stability.
The gathering comes in light of US President Donald Trump’s vision for achieving peace in the region and his efforts to end conflicts around the world. Cairo said the summit is designed to finalise an agreement aimed at ending the war in Gaza and rally international support for the second phase of Trump’s peace plan, which seeks to disarm Hamas and create a new governing body in the Strip. However, neither Israel nor Hamas will take part in the event, and the Palestinian Authority is also not attending.
The summit follows a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas that entered into effect on Friday after three days of intensive negotiations in Sharm El Sheikh between the two sides, mediated by Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, and the United States. The first phase of the plan includes Israeli troop withdrawals from Gaza the opening of five crossings for aid, and the release of hostages and prisoners. Under the agreement, Hamas has time until Monday to release all Israeli hostages, including 20 who are believed to be alive and the remains of up to 28 deceased hostages.
Israel is expected to release around 250 Palestinian prisoners and 1,700 detainees from Gaza, while increased amounts of aid enter the Strip. The Israeli military has confirmed it has partially withdrawn troops from parts of Gaza and pulled back to an agreed position within the territory, though forces still occupy half of the Strip.
More than two years of Israeli military operations have devastated Gaza, killing over 67,000 people and triggering famine. The Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt is expected to reopen in the middle of next week, allowing for limited movement of people, though details on operations have not yet been announced. Many details for the later phases of the ceasefire, which would be negotiated after the successful completion of phase one, could prove difficult to reach an agreement on, including the governance of Gaza, the extent of Israeli troop withdrawal, and the disarmament of Hamas. The international community now looks to Monday’s summit as a critical moment for marshalling global support behind efforts to achieve lasting peace in the region, even as the primary parties to the conflict remain absent from the gathering.
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