Leaders, diplomats, and officials from at least 27 nations gathered in the Egyptian resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh on Monday for the “Summit for Peace,” aimed at signaling what many hope will be the conclusion of the conflict in Gaza.
The summit was co-chaired by President Trump and Egyptian President Al-Sissi, and included notable figures such as FIFA President Gianni Infantino and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
The primary objective of the summit is to reinforce measures to stabilize the devastated Gaza Strip and ensure the durability of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
“Our immediate focus should be on securing the ceasefire, ensuring it is upheld and that the deceased are returned to their families. It is crucial that we also facilitate the influx of humanitarian aid into the [Gaza] Strip,” Al-Sissi conveyed to Trump during their meeting, as per translation.
Notably absent from the summit was Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whom Trump had extended an invitation to. The prime minister’s office stated that he was “unable to attend due to scheduling conflicts with the impending holiday.”
Reports suggest that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan cautioned Al-Sissi that he would cancel his trip if Netanyahu was welcomed at the peace summit.
In attendance was Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who has expressed his willingness to collaborate with Trump on the peace proposal.
Other regional dignitaries included Erdogan, Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, King Abdullah II of Jordan, Prime Minister Ahmad Al Abdullah Al Sabah of Kuwait, King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, UAE Vice President Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Omani Foreign Minister Badr Al Busaidi, and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
The “Summit for Peace” followed Trump’s inspiring speech to the Knesset, where he was welcomed like a hero.
Earlier, Hamas freed 20 living Israeli hostages they had detained. The group agreed to the peace plan advocated by Trump the previous Wednesday, which the Israeli government approved the next day.
A ceasefire has been effective since Friday morning of last week, while increased shipments of humanitarian assistance have been reaching the troubled Gaza Strip.
In addition to regional leaders, several top European officials participated in the peace summit, including French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
Also present were Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit and European Council President Antonio Costa.
