Egypt leads regional and global push toward peace in Gaza

The Peace Summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, held Monday, marked a major diplomatic milestone with the signing of a joint document by leaders of the mediating countries in support of the October 9 agreement aimed at ending the war in Gaza.

The document, signed during the high-level gathering, outlines a comprehensive cessation of hostilities, the completion of a full prisoner exchange, the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, and the immediate delivery of humanitarian aid to the territory.

According to an official statement from the Egyptian presidency, world leaders also agreed to begin consultations on implementing the next phases of U.S. President Donald Trump’s settlement plan. 

These steps will start with governance, security arrangements, and the reconstruction of Gaza, eventually leading to a renewed political process aimed at achieving a lasting settlement.

Recognition for Egypt’s Leadership

Participants at the summit commended Egypt’s role, under the leadership of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, for its humanitarian efforts since the outbreak of the conflict and its key mediation role in bringing parties to the negotiating table. 

Egypt’s initiative to host the summit and finalize the agreement was widely recognized as a pivotal contribution to regional peace.

In addition to Egypt, the efforts of U.S. President Donald Trump, along with Qatar and Turkey, were praised for helping broker the deal and pushing for a diplomatic resolution.

The summit gathered widespread international participation, which the Egyptian presidency said reflected strong global support for ending the conflict and building a path to peace.

“Egypt will continue to cooperate with its regional and international partners to close this painful chapter in the history of the Middle East and the world," the statement read. 

"A chapter in which mankind lost much of its humanity, the rule-based international system lost credibility, and the region's people lost their sense of safety.”

The statement reaffirmed Egypt’s position that instability in the Middle East is rooted in the denial of Palestinian self-determination. It emphasized the Palestinian people's resilience in the face of decades of suffering and reiterated Cairo’s unwavering support for their legitimate rights.

Egypt called for a two-state solution based on the 1967 borders, including East Jerusalem as the capital of a future Palestinian state, coexisting peacefully with Israel.

Egypt concluded with a call for a "new Middle East" built on the principles of justice, equal rights, peaceful coexistence, and good neighborliness, inclusive of all peoples without exception.