Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt – October 13, 2025 – In a moment that could redefine the Middle East's turbulent landscape, U.S. President Donald Trump arrived in Egypt's sun-drenched Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh on Monday afternoon, fresh from a whirlwind visit to Israel, to co-chair an international peace summit aimed at solidifying a fragile ceasefire in Gaza. The gathering, hosted alongside Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, drew leaders from more than 20 nations, marking a pivotal step toward ending a war that has ravaged the Palestinian enclave for nearly two years.
Live footage broadcast across global networks captured Trump's motorcade gliding through palm-lined avenues, greeted by a ceremonial honor guard and throngs of dignitaries. Al-Sisi, clad in his signature military uniform, personally welcomed the American leader at Sharm el-Sheikh International Airport, where flags of participating countries fluttered against the azure backdrop of the Sinai Peninsula. "This is not just a summit; it's the dawn of a new era," Al-Sisi declared in opening remarks, emphasizing Egypt's role as a mediator in the protracted conflict.
The summit, convened in the opulent conference halls of the Mena House Hotel – a venue steeped in diplomatic history – focused on two core objectives: cementing the first phase of a U.S.-brokered ceasefire plan and laying the groundwork for Gaza's post-war reconstruction. Attendees included a diverse array of global figures: Qatar's Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Jordan's King Abdullah II, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, and even Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, whose presence underscored the summit's broader regional ambitions. Notably absent were Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Hamas representatives, with indirect channels reportedly handling their inputs.
Trump, exuding characteristic bravado, took the podium first, flanked by Al-Sisi and a phalanx of mediators. "Folks, the war in Gaza is over. It's over. Humanitarian aid is pouring in – hundreds of truckloads of food, medicine, and supplies, much of it paid for by the good people in this room," he proclaimed, drawing applause from the assembly. He credited his September 29, 2025, 20-point peace proposal – unveiled at the White House alongside Netanyahu – as the blueprint for this breakthrough, calling it a "deal that took 3,000 years to get right." The plan, hammered out amid intense backchannel diplomacy involving U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, had faced skepticism but gained traction after indirect talks in Sharm el-Sheikh last week.
The ceasefire's first phase, activated on Friday, October 10, has already yielded tangible results. Hamas fulfilled its commitment by releasing all 20 remaining living Israeli hostages – all men, abducted during the group's October 7, 2023, assault on southern Israel – into the custody of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). Emotional scenes unfolded as the captives, gaunt and weary after 738 days in captivity, were transported across the border at Kerem Shalom. Among them were festival-goers from the Nova music site, like 24-year-old Evyatar David, whose emaciated frame in a Hamas propaganda video last August had haunted families worldwide, and 22-year-old soldier Matan Angrest, seized from a tank near the Gaza perimeter.
In Tel Aviv's Hostages Square, where vigil flames had burned continuously since 2023, tens of thousands gathered under overcast skies to watch the reunions on massive screens. "This is a victory for an entire people," said the family of 48-year-old Omri Miran, abducted from Kibbutz Nahal Oz in front of his wife and children. Cheers erupted as buses ferried the freed men to medical facilities for debriefing and trauma care, with Israeli officials confirming no serious injuries among the group. However, the handover of 28 deceased hostages' bodies – promised by Hamas – hit a snag, with families decrying a "breach" as only four were delivered initially, citing discrepancies in identification.
In exchange, Israel began releasing nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees, including 250 serving life sentences and over 1,700 administrative detainees held without charge. The Israel Prison Service transferred them to Ofer and Ktzi'ot facilities before phased releases, a process human rights groups like B'Tselem hailed as a "long-overdue correction to arbitrary detentions." Palestinian families in the West Bank erupted in jubilation, with videos circulating on social media showing elderly mothers clutching photos of sons reunited after years apart.
The summit's centerpiece was the signing of a joint declaration by Trump, Al-Sisi, Qatar's Emir, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, endorsing the "broad principles" of Trump's plan. Phase one mandates a six-week pause in hostilities, partial Israeli withdrawal to a line controlling 53% of Gaza (down from near-total occupation), and unrestricted humanitarian access via Rafah and Kerem Shalom crossings. Aid convoys – over 300 trucks daily – have surged into the Strip, carrying flour, water purification kits, and tents, coordinated by the UN and World Food Programme (WFP). "We've enabled a third of all goods entering Gaza, just like in January," said WFP's Antoine Renard, referencing a prior truce.
Phase two, set for negotiation in the coming weeks, envisions a multinational stabilization force – up to 200 U.S. troops alongside contingents from Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey – to oversee demilitarization and Hamas's exclusion from governance. A new technocratic administration, potentially involving reformed Palestinian Authority elements, would manage daily affairs, with amnesty for non-militant Hamas members willing to disarm. Reconstruction pledges totaled $10 billion from Gulf states, targeting water infrastructure, hospitals, and schools – sectors decimated by the conflict. "This is the Trump economic development plan to rebuild and energize Gaza," the president quipped, vowing U.S. oversight to prevent aid diversion.
Yet, beneath the pageantry, the scars of war loomed large. The October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks killed 1,200 Israelis and foreigners, abducting 251 – a catalyst for Israel's retaliatory campaign that has killed over 67,800 Palestinians, including more than 20,000 children, per Gaza's Health Ministry. Independent analyses, including a Lancet study, suggest the traumatic injury toll alone exceeded 70,000 by mid-2025, with indirect deaths from famine and disease pushing estimates higher. Gaza, once home to 2.3 million, lies in ruins: 92% of homes damaged or destroyed, 88% of businesses obliterated, and 78% of structures reduced to rubble, per UNOSAT satellite data.
In Gaza City, the ceasefire's first hours brought tentative returns. Displaced families, bundled into donkey carts laden with salvaged pots and blankets, trekked northward along the coastal road, dodging craters from airstrikes. "We walk because this is our land – we will never leave," said one mother, her children clutching threadbare toys amid the debris. Civil defense teams, operating with scant fuel, recovered 150 bodies from Khan Younis alone, where 85% of buildings are gone, leaving 400,000 tons of rubble to clear. Famine grips the north, with UNICEF rushing high-energy biscuits and menstrual kits, while the WHO reports 735 healthcare attacks since 2023, killing 917.
Trump's Israel leg set an emotional tone. Addressing the Knesset, he received a standing ovation, declaring the war "over" and praising hostage families he met privately. Netanyahu, in a joint appearance, lauded the deal but stressed Israel's right to self-defense, rejecting a postwar role for the Palestinian Authority – a sticking point for Abbas, who attended despite the snub. Back in Gaza, Hamas chief Khalil al-Hayya hailed U.S. guarantees for a "sustained ceasefire," while Izzat al-Risheq coordinated aid with "friendly countries."
Challenges persist. Israeli hardliners, including Itamar Ben-Gvir, decry the prisoner swap as endangering security, while Hamas demands full withdrawal timelines. A prior January 2025 truce collapsed after two months, resuming fighting in March. UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged "ironclad commitments" to phase two, warning of "genocidal risks" if aid falters. Iranian state media confirmed an invitation but no attendance, signaling Tehran's wariness.
As the sun dipped over the Red Sea, Trump boarded Air Force One, waving to a crowd chanting "Peace now!" Al-Sisi called Trump's proposal the "last chance for regional peace," echoing a sentiment shared by Starmer, who pledged UK reconstruction aid. For Gaza's survivors – 10% of whom bear life-altering injuries – the path ahead is fraught but flickering with hope. As one returned hostage whispered to reporters, "We've endured hell; now, let's build heaven."
The summit adjourned with a group photo against the Gulf of Aqaba's shimmering waters, a tableau of tentative unity. Yet, as trucks rumble into Gaza under multinational watch, the true measure of this "beautiful day," as Trump termed it, will unfold in deeds, not declarations. With $10 billion on the table and eyes on phase two, the world watches: Will this be the end of endless war, or merely a pause?
