World leaders gathered in the Egyptian Red Sea resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh on Monday for the “Summit for Peace,” co-chaired by US President Donald Trump and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi, to back a landmark ceasefire aimed at ending more than two years of war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
Neither Israel nor Hamas were present, as both sides lack direct communication. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu skipped the summit due to a Jewish holiday. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, however, attended the meeting amid growing global pressure for a political roadmap to follow the fragile truce.
The summit followed key developments in recent days: Hamas released the last 20 living Israeli hostages, while Israel began freeing hundreds of Palestinians from its prisons — steps required under the first phase of the ceasefire that began on Friday.
El-Sissi’s office said the gathering aims to “end the war in Gaza and open a new chapter of peace and regional stability,” echoing Trump’s vision for a broader Middle East peace framework.
Egypt and the US, supported by Arab and Turkish mediators, helped broker the initial truce through negotiations in Qatar. Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said full implementation of this first phase is vital before talks on the next phase begin.
“We need American engagement — even deployment on the ground — to define the mission and mandate of a peacekeeping force,” Abdelatty told the Associated Press.
The two-hour summit was expected to conclude with a joint statement from Trump and el-Sissi, reaffirming their commitment to a lasting peace.
Under the first phase, Israeli forces withdrew from parts of Gaza, allowing hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians to return home, while aid agencies began preparing to deliver long-blocked humanitarian supplies.
The next round of negotiations will focus on Hamas’ disarmament, Gaza’s postwar governance, and the extent of Israel’s withdrawal. Trump’s plan envisions the creation of a new Palestinian security force with regional and international training and support, backed by a UN Security Council resolution authorizing its deployment.
Reconstruction is another major challenge. The World Bank and Egypt estimate Gaza’s rebuilding and recovery needs at around $53 billion. Egypt plans to host a donor conference soon.
Among the attendees were Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and Jordan’s King Abdullah, whose country will help train the new Palestinian security force.
Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, UN Secretary-General António Guterres, European Council President António Costa, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also joined the summit. Starmer announced a £20 million ($27 million) aid pledge for Gaza’s water and sanitation needs and said the UK would host a three-day reconstruction conference.
Iran, a key backer of Hamas, was notably absent. The Islamic Republic — weakened by internal unrest and international isolation — described the ceasefire as a “Hamas victory,” though analysts said it underscored Tehran’s waning influence.
Monday’s meeting, the first peace summit under President el-Sissi, took place in Sharm el-Sheikh — a symbolic venue that has hosted numerous peace efforts since the 1970s. The city, known today for its luxury resorts, was once a flashpoint in Arab-Israeli conflicts but now serves as a backdrop for renewed international efforts to secure lasting peace in the Middle East.
