U.S. President Donald Trump and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi are set to jointly preside over a significant peace summit on Monday afternoon in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt. This gathering is expected to draw a host of European leaders, including France’s Emmanuel Macron, the U.K.’s Keir Starmer, Italy’s Giorgia Meloni, and Spain’s Pedro Sánchez, as well as Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdoğan among others.
The summit comes in the wake of a ceasefire agreement established on Friday between conflicting parties in the Gaza Strip. The primary goal of this assembly is 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,” as articulated in a statement released by the Egyptian presidency on Saturday.
Signing of the Middle East peace plan
During the summit, a formal signing ceremony is anticipated for the “Middle East peace plan,” which outlines the terms agreed upon by Israel and Hamas to cease hostilities in Gaza. Notably, reports indicate that neither Israel nor Hamas will be present at the summit.
On the morning of the summit, an exchange of hostages is expected, with Hamas poised to release a number of Israeli captives in return for the release of Palestinian prisoners by Israel. This exchange is a direct result of the ceasefire agreement that was finalized on Thursday. Concurrently, Trump plans to travel to Israel to deliver a speech at the Knesset before proceeding to Sharm El-Sheikh for the summit.
Humanitarian aid efforts and EU involvement
In a related development, humanitarian aid trucks crossed into the Gaza Strip on Sunday morning after the U.N.’s humanitarian office confirmed that Israel had permitted aid to resume flowing into the enclave, contingent on the continuation of the ceasefire.
European Council President António Costa is also slated to participate in the peace summit in Egypt, where he will represent the European Union at the signing ceremony for the Middle East Peace Plan. According to a spokesperson, “The plan offers a real chance to build a just and sustainable peace, and the EU is fully committed to supporting these efforts and contributing to its implementation.”