Declaring “The war is over,” US President Donald Trump announced the end of the two-year Gaza conflict as he headed to Egypt for a landmark peace summit with world leaders. The summit, to be held in Sharm El-Sheikh on Monday, will mark the first major diplomatic breakthrough of Trump’s second term, following his successful mediation between Israel and Hamas over a 20-point peace plan.
Before arriving in Egypt, Trump will stop in Israel to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and address the Knesset. The ceasefire, which halted fighting in Gaza on Friday, includes a commitment from Hamas to release the remaining Israeli hostages on Monday via the Red Cross. The war, which began on October 7, 2023, after Hamas militants stormed Israel killing 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages, has left around 67,000 Palestinians dead, according to Gaza officials.
The peace deal was brokered with help from Egypt, Qatar, and Turkiye, along with Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner. The upcoming summit will be attended by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Palestine Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, French President Emmanuel Macron, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and leaders from Qatar and the UAE.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was invited by Trump and el-Sisi but will not attend; Minister of State Kirti Vardhan Singh will represent India. It remains unclear whether Israel will participate in the summit or at what level.
Trump expressed optimism about the peace deal, citing celebrations across Israel and the Arab world. “Everyone was cheering at one time — that’s never happened before,” he said before boarding Air Force One. Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty also voiced confidence, revealing that Egypt and Jordan are planning to train and deploy a 5,000-member Palestinian force to maintain security in Gaza.
Under Trump’s plan, Hamas will be excluded from governance in Gaza, which will instead be managed by “qualified Palestinians and international experts.” Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair will head the Board of Peace overseeing Gaza’s reconstruction.
Trump said humanitarian aid had already begun flowing into Gaza as Israel lifted restrictions on relief supplies. “You have to get people taken care of first — and it’s going to start immediately,” he said, marking what could be the dawn of a new chapter in Middle East peace.
