Trump jets to Egypt for Gaza peace summit

President Donald Trump met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi on Monday in Eastern Egypt before convening with international leaders about the future of Gaza and brokering peace throughout the Middle East. The meeting came hours after Hamas terrorists released 20 living hostages, honoring the recently brokered peace deal between Israel and Hamas. The ceasefire ended about two years of fighting in Gaza after Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attacks on Israel.

The Monday summit is unprecedented, Trump said. Even Iran submitted a statement in support of the peace deal, he noted. Everyone said peace in the Middle East wasn’t possible, but it really is going to happen, Trump said.

El-Sissi thanked Trump for his involvement in brokering the peace deal, and outlined priorities moving forward. Leaders need to fixate on carrying out the ceasefire and make sure more humanitarian assistance is brought into the region, el-Sissi said. He also prioritized returning the bodies of deceased hostages.

What all happened during the summit? Trump formally signed a ceasefire deal during the Monday summit with more than 20 world leaders in attendance. El-Sisi also signed the deal, along with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani.

El-Sissi addressed the gathering after the signing and reiterated the importance of establishing a Palestinian state. This is the last chance for regional peace, he said. El-Sissi also announced that Trump would receive the country’s highest civilian honor, the Order of the Nile.

Trump took the stage after el-Sissi, thanking him for the state honor, celebrating the hostages’ release, and declaring the war over. Humanitarian aid is now pouring in, hundreds of trucks with food, medical equipment, and supplies, Trump said. Rebuilding is now starting, and that might be the easiest part of this, he added. The president added that he would lead the board of peace overseeing the ceasefire deal’s execution.

Dig deeper: Read Lauren Canterberry’s report for more about the remaining living hostages being freed.