Moscow/Sharm el-Sheikh, October 13, 2025 – In a rare moment of cautious optimism amid two years of unrelenting conflict, the war in Gaza appeared to edge toward resolution today as Hamas completed the release of the 20 remaining living Israeli hostages, fulfilling the first phase of a U.S.-brokered 20-point ceasefire plan. U.S. President Donald Trump, fresh from a triumphant address to Israel's Knesset where he received a standing ovation, arrived in Egypt's Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh to co-chair an international summit aimed at cementing the fragile truce and charting a path for Gaza's reconstruction. The gathering, attended by over 20 world leaders including Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, underscored a global push to transform the ceasefire into lasting peace.
The hostage handover unfolded in the early morning hours across three sites in Gaza's battered landscape—Khan Younis in the south, central Gaza near Nuseirat, and a northern point near Beit Lahia. Red Cross vehicles, escorted by international observers, ferried the freed captives through debris-strewn roads to the Kerem Shalom crossing into Israel. Emotional scenes erupted in Tel Aviv's Hostages Square, where tens of thousands gathered before massive screens, erupting in cheers as families reunited with loved ones after 731 days of agony. Among the released were figures like Evyatar David, a 24-year-old café manager abducted from the Nova music festival on October 7, 2023, and Matan Angrest, a 22-year-old soldier captured near the Gaza perimeter fence. Videos circulated showing gaunt but alive hostages making final calls to relatives, a poignant reminder of the human cost of the conflict that has claimed over 67,000 Palestinian lives and 1,200 Israelis since Hamas's initial assault.
In exchange, Israel began releasing 1,968 Palestinian prisoners and detainees, including prominent figures like Marwan Barghouti, a Fatah leader serving life sentences for his role in the Second Intifada. Buses carrying the freed Palestinians streamed into Ramallah in the West Bank amid jubilant crowds waving flags and chanting for unity. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who skipped the summit due to the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah, defended the swap in a televised address, calling it a "victory for life" while vowing that Hamas would be held accountable for future violations. The deal, mediated by Egypt, Qatar, and Türkiye with U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner at the helm, marks the culmination of intensive indirect talks that began in earnest after Trump's September 29 announcement of his comprehensive peace framework.
Trump's 20-point plan, unveiled in a White House press conference alongside Netanyahu, envisions a phased end to hostilities: an immediate ceasefire, full hostage release, partial Israeli withdrawal to pre-agreed lines, unrestricted humanitarian aid, and eventual Hamas disarmament. Subsequent phases include establishing a transitional "Board of Peace" for Gaza governance—potentially involving technocrats and international figures like former British Prime Minister Tony Blair—and massive reconstruction funded by a U.S.-led coalition. Trump hailed the agreement as "potentially one of the great days ever in civilization," crediting pressure from Arab mediators for swaying Hamas. Yet, thorny issues loom large: Netanyahu has rejected any postwar role for Abbas's Palestinian Authority, while Hamas insists on a complete Israeli pullout before discussing disarmament. Analysts warn that without swift progress on these fronts, the truce could unravel, as interim ceasefires did in late 2023 and early 2025.
As the Sharm el-Sheikh summit kicked off under the co-chairmanship of Trump and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi—who awarded Trump Egypt's highest honor, the Nile Collar—the agenda focused on endorsing the "broad principles" of the plan and mobilizing aid. El-Sisi's office described the event as a bid to "end the war in the Gaza Strip, enhance efforts to achieve peace and stability in the Middle East, and usher in a new era of regional security." Attendees included British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who praised Trump's "particular" role; French President Emmanuel Macron; German Chancellor Olaf Scholz; Jordan's King Abdullah II; and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Notably absent were Israeli and Hamas representatives, underscoring the summit's diplomatic rather than direct-negotiating focus. A signing ceremony is slated for later today, formalizing commitments to aid corridors and rubble clearance, with the U.N. pledging to oversee distribution through agencies like UNRWA and the Red Crescent.
From Moscow, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov injected a note of measured support into the proceedings, addressing a group of Arab journalists in a wide-ranging briefing that touched on Gaza, Syria, Iran, and burgeoning Russian-Arab ties. Lavrov expressed hope that "all agreements reached at the Sharm el-Sheikh summit on the Gaza Strip will be fulfilled," urging Trump and regional leaders to prioritize "an immediate ceasefire and humanitarian access." He commended the plan's "fragile formulations" but warned against revisions, stating, "We are already hearing such attempts from various sides." Emphasizing Russia's non-intrusive stance, Lavrov said Moscow stands ready to facilitate implementation "in every possible way" but "will not impose itself." He noted that if Egyptian summit participants invite Russian involvement, "we will not refuse," aligning with President Vladimir Putin's tradition of multilateral engagement.
Lavrov's comments come as Russia positions itself as a counterbalance to Western dominance in Middle East diplomacy. He stressed that long-term resolution hinges on implementing U.N. resolutions for Palestinian statehood, declaring, "It will be necessary to move on to the creation of a Palestinian state." Citing statements from both Hamas and Tel Aviv hinting at potential crisis recurrence, he called for Israel to "recognize the need to seek a balance of interests, rather than pursuing objectives that disregard the concerns of its neighbors." The unresolved Palestinian question, Lavrov added, "remains the most significant factor fueling extremism in the Arab world." Russia's backing of Trump's initiative reflects a pragmatic shift; despite past criticisms of U.S. bias toward Israel, Moscow has quietly supported the deal to safeguard its regional influence, including arms sales and energy partnerships.
Shifting to broader regional dynamics, Lavrov reaffirmed Moscow's unwavering commitment to the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal, formally the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), enshrined in U.N. Security Council Resolution 2231. "We have never wavered from our position," he asserted, noting that Russia supplies Iran with nuclear equipment "in full compliance with international law." This comes amid heightened U.S.-Iran tensions, exacerbated by the Gaza war's spillover, including Houthi attacks in the Red Sea. Lavrov's remarks serve as a subtle rebuke to Trump's past withdrawal from the JCPOA, positioning Russia as a reliable partner for Tehran in civilian nuclear technology—a field increasingly attracting Arab interest, as he highlighted.
On Syria, Lavrov dismissed swirling rumors of former President Bashar al-Assad's poisoning as baseless, clarifying that Assad and his family reside in Russia "for purely humanitarian reasons" following "threats to their lives" after his ouster in December 2024. Assad, who fled Damascus amid a rebel offensive led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), has lived in seclusion in Moscow's upscale Rublyovka suburb or the "City of Capitals" complex, under Russian surveillance to prevent political meddling. Reports suggest he receives a modest stipend from frozen Syrian assets, but no meetings with Putin have occurred, underscoring Moscow's desire to avoid alienating Syria's new HTS-led interim government under President Ahmed al-Sharaa. Lavrov noted that Damascus remains keen on retaining Russian military bases in Tartus and Khmeimim, potentially repurposed as "humanitarian hubs for sending supplies to Africa" under "new conditions." This evolution reflects Russia's strategic recalibration post-Assad, balancing base retention with warmer ties to the Arab world.
Lavrov also touched on the postponed Russia-Arab summit, originally slated for October 15 in Moscow but delayed to November or later due to the Gaza focus. Invited by Putin in May, the gathering of all 22 Arab League leaders and Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit aimed to deepen economic and security cooperation. Bahrain's Foreign Minister Abdullah Adel Fakhro praised it as a vehicle for "mutually beneficial, multifaceted cooperation," including industrial platforms and trade mechanisms. Lavrov observed an "increasing number of Arab countries... interested in Russia's experience with nuclear technology and its civilian applications," citing deals with Egypt, Jordan, and the UAE. The postponement, announced after talks with Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid, prioritizes Gaza but signals Moscow's intent to host the event once "mutually convenient," potentially amplified by today's summit outcomes.
The Sharm el-Sheikh proceedings, meanwhile, extend beyond Gaza's borders. Discussions include bolstering Yemen's truce to curb Houthi disruptions and advancing Saudi-Israeli normalization, a Trump priority. U.N. chief Guterres called the summit a "seized opportunity" to end "tragic conflict," while Starmer pledged U.K. aid for Gaza's 700,000 displaced children. Yet, challenges persist: Hamas fighters have redeployed in Gaza to assert control, prompting reports of internal executions, and Israeli forces hold half the strip. Aid trucks queued at Rafah, but full access awaits verification of the swap.
As evening fell over Sharm el-Sheikh's conference center—adorned with banners proclaiming it the "City of Peace"—Trump's address encapsulated the day's duality: exuberance over hostages freed, tempered by the "hard work" ahead. Lavrov's Moscow remarks echoed this, blending endorsement with calls for equity. For Gaza's 2.3 million residents trekking home through ruins, the ceasefire offers respite, but only a Palestinian state, as Lavrov insisted, can ensure endurance. With phases two and three—disarmament, governance, reconstruction—looming, the world watches whether today's unity endures or fractures under old animosities.
