SHARM EL SHEIKH, Egypt (AP) – The presidents of the United States and Egypt are chairing a meeting of world leaders dubbed the Summit for Peace to help end the two-year war in Gaza following a landmark cease-fire agreement.
Israel and Hamas have no direct contact and are not expected to attend Monday’s summit. Israel rejects any role for the internationally-backed Palestinian Authority in Gaza, and its leaders are visiting Japan.
The leaders of Türkiye, Jordan, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, the United Nations and the European Union have also said they will attend.
The summit in Egypt’s Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh will be held on the same day Hamas releases 20 surviving Israelis. hostage And Israel ends up releasing hundreds of people. Palestinians released from prisonan important step after the ceasefire that began on Friday.
But key questions about what happens next remain unanswered, raising the risk of a return to war.
So why do world leaders meet?
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Both countries were under pressure from the United States, Arab countries and Türkiye to agree to the first phase of a ceasefire.
Israel and Hamas need international and regional technical and financial support to solve their many complex problems.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi’s office said the aim of the summit was to “end the war” in Gaza and “open a new page of peace and regional stability” in line with the wishes of US President Donald. Trump’s vision.
In March, Egypt proposed a post-war plan for Gaza that would leave 2.3 million residents there. At that time, it was Counterproposal They objected to President Trump’s plans to reduce the population of the territory.
The two leaders, who co-chair the international summit, have signaled they are working together on a path forward.
The gathering, expected to last about two hours, is unlikely to address the remaining issues in depth or directly. El-Sissi and Trump are expected to issue a joint statement after the show concludes.
In the first phase, Israeli forces withdrew from parts of Gaza, allowing hundreds of thousands of Palestinians living in Gaza to return home from areas they had been forced to evacuate. Aid groups are preparing to bring in large quantities of aid that have been stored outside the territory for months.
Hostage and Prisoner Exchange: Logistical Challenges
Negotiations need to address issues such as the disarmament of Hamas, the establishment of a post-war government in Gaza, and the extent of Israel’s withdrawal from the region. President Trump’s plan also specifies that regional and international partners will work to develop the core of a new Palestinian security force.
Another major challenge is raising funds to rebuild Gaza. The World Bank and Egypt’s post-war plans estimate the cost of rebuilding and rebuilding the Gaza Strip at $53 billion. Egypt plans to host a recovery conference in the future.
Who is missing?
Israel and Hamas.
The two main parties to the conflict, entrenched enemies with little trust in each other and numerous failed negotiations behind them, are not present.
Negotiations in Doha and earlier rounds were indirect, with Egypt and Qatar serving as mediators.
Iran, Hamas’ main supporter, will also not be attending.
iran finds itself It is in one of its weakest periods since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Although Iranian officials portrayed the ceasefire agreement as a victory for Hamas, it underscored Iran’s declining influence in the region and reignited fears of another clash with Israel, which is still struggling to recover from June’s 12-day war.
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At the meeting, world leaders are likely to praise Mr. Trump’s push for a ceasefire. For his part, El-Sissi is almost certainly relieved that Egypt has avoided plans to depopulate the Gaza Strip.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is also expected to attend. Turkey, which has long hosted Hamas political leaders, played a key role in achieving the ceasefire agreement. Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are also expected to participate.
Jordan’s King Abdullah is also expected to attend. His country will join Egypt in training a new Palestinian security force.
Germany, one of Israel’s strongest international supporters and top supplier of munitions, will be represented by Chancellor Friedrich Merz. he expressed it like this concern Regarding Israel’s war effort and military occupation plan for Gaza. He will co-host the Gaza reconstruction conference with Egypt.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is among the leaders scheduled to attend. The prime minister said he was pledging 20 million British pounds ($27 million) to provide water and sanitation to Gaza, and said Britain would host a three-day conference to coordinate reconstruction and reconstruction plans for Gaza.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, European Union President Antonio Costa and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also announced they would attend.
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The Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, at the tip of the Sinai Peninsula, has been the site of many peace talks over the past few decades.
Sharm el-Sheikh was briefly occupied by Israel in 1956 for one year. After Israel withdrew, UN peacekeeping forces remained in the area until 1967, when Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser ordered them to leave, triggering the Six-Day War of that year.
Sharm el-Sheikh and the rest of the Sinai Peninsula were returned to Egypt in 1982 after the 1979 peace treaty with Israel.
Now known for its luxury beach resorts, diving spots and desert tours, the town also hosted a number of peace summits and negotiation rounds between Israelis and Palestinians under President Hosni Mubarak, who was ousted in 2011. Under El-Sissi, the city has also hosted a number of international conferences, and Monday’s peace summit will be the first under him.
