Trump-Sisi to co-host global peace summit aimed at ending Gaza war

World leaders from more than 20 nations are set to convene in Egypt’s Red Sea resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh on Monday for a high-profile peace summit co-chaired by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and US President Donald Trump.

According to an official statement from the Egyptian presidency, the summit aims to advance efforts to “end the war in the Gaza Strip, promote lasting peace in the Middle East, and usher in a new phase of regional security and stability.”
The meeting follows the recent implementation of the first phase of Trump’s 20-point Gaza peace plan, which seeks to end over a year of devastating conflict between Israel and Hamas.
President Trump, who announced the peace initiative in late September, confirmed last week that both Israel and Hamas had agreed to the first phase of the plan. The initial stage, which took effect on Friday at noon local time (0900 GMT), calls for an immediate ceasefire, the release of all Israeli captives held in Gaza, and the freeing of roughly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails.
The second phase, as outlined by the White House, envisions the creation of a new administrative structure in Gaza—one that excludes Hamas. The framework also proposes forming a joint security force made up of Palestinian personnel alongside troops from select Arab and Islamic nations. Hamas would be required to disarm as part of the transition.
A senior US official said the Sharm el-Sheikh summit is expected to focus on implementing the next steps of the plan, coordinating humanitarian relief for Gaza’s civilians, and securing regional backing for a post-war governance model.
In addition to Egypt and the United States, leaders and representatives from countries including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Turkey, Indonesia, and South Africa are expected to attend. The United Nations and the European Union have also been invited to participate as observers.
Analysts see the summit as a significant diplomatic test for Washington’s renewed Middle East strategy, as it seeks to build a broad international coalition to stabilize Gaza and revive prospects for a two-state solution.
Since the outbreak of the conflict in October 2023, Israeli military operations have killed more than 67,600 Palestinians, the vast majority of them women and children, according to health authorities in Gaza. Entire neighbourhoods have been flattened, and the UN warns that the enclave has become “uninhabitable” due to massive infrastructure destruction, displacement, and the collapse of essential services.
Egypt, which shares a border with Gaza and has played a pivotal role in mediation efforts, is hosting the summit amid heightened regional tensions. Cairo has repeatedly warned that continued violence risks spilling over into neighbouring countries and further destabilizing the region.
“The summit reflects President Trump’s vision for achieving comprehensive peace and ending conflicts worldwide,” Egypt’s presidential office said, emphasizing that the gathering aims to lay the groundwork for a sustainable regional security framework.
Observers say the Sharm el-Sheikh meeting could mark a turning point in diplomatic efforts if it successfully unites Arab, Western, and Islamic partners around a concrete roadmap for peace — one that balances humanitarian imperatives with political realities on the ground.