U.S. President Donald Trump and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi announced they will jointly host a Gaza peace summit in the Egyptian coastal city of Sharm El-Sheikh on Monday, Oct 13 (local time). The summit is expected to draw participation from more than 20 world leaders.
According to U.S. media reports, the summit aims to end the latest round of Israeli-Palestinian conflict, intensify efforts to achieve peace and stability in the Middle East, and usher in a new era of regional security and stability. However, Hamas, the Palestinian armed group involved in the agreement negotiations, has explicitly stated it will not attend.
Trump stated that during his visit to the Middle East, he would meet with numerous leaders from around the world. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres confirmed his attendance on Saturday. Leaders or foreign ministers from Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Italy, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Indonesia are also set to attend. However, there is no confirmation yet on whether Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will travel to Sharm El-Sheikh.
Hamas Demands Other Armed Groups Lay Down Arms
Reuters, citing a Hamas official, reported that while Hamas will not send representatives to the signing ceremony, it will dispatch a negotiation team to continue participating in the subsequent stages of the talks. Earlier media reports indicated that after several days of initial peace agreement talks, most members of the Hamas delegation, including the chief negotiator, had departed Sharm El-Sheikh, leaving two senior Hamas officials behind to liaise with Egyptian authorities regarding the implementation of the agreement's details.
The Financial Times reported on Sunday, citing sources, that following the consensus reached on the first stage of the peace agreement between Hamas and Israel, clashes occurred in the Gaza Strip between Hamas and two Palestinian armed groups receiving Israeli support. To ensure the peace deal is secured—which involves the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinians imprisoned by Israel—Hamas is demanding that all other armed groups in the Gaza Strip temporarily lay down their weapons. Hamas stated it would continue to bear responsibility for maintaining security and stability in Gaza.
The British Prime Minister's Office stated last Friday that the government of Prime Minister Keir Starmer, having formally recognized the State of Palestine last month to preserve the viability of the "two-state solution," will use the summit to call for continued international cooperation to advance the peace plan into its second phase. This includes disarming Hamas, deploying a ceasefire monitoring mission, and establishing transitional governance arrangements in Gaza. The French Élysée Palace confirmed that President Emmanuel Macron will attend the summit to reiterate France's support for the "two-state solution" and discuss the implementation of the agreement's subsequent stages.
Qatar Investigates Diplomat Deaths in Traffic Accident
Reuters, citing two Qatari security sources, reported that just before the summit, three Qatari diplomats died in a traffic accident near Sharm El-Sheikh, with two other diplomats injured. Authorities are investigating the cause of the incident.
As the peace summit convenes, approximately 500,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip have begun returning to Gaza City in the north following the enactment of the first-stage ceasefire. Many Palestinians hope the new agreement will genuinely bring lasting peace. A Palestinian refugee expressed to Reuters her hope to accompany her young daughter on the journey back home, stating, "It's truly an indescribable feeling, thank God. We really hope the war stops and the suffering ends."
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