SHARM EL-SHEIKH/ISLAMABAD: World leaders are converging on the Egyptian Red Sea resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh on Monday for a landmark international peace summit aimed at consolidating the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas and charting a path toward lasting stability in Gaza and the wider Middle East.
The summit, co-chaired by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and US President Donald Trump, brings together top officials and heads of state from 27 countries. Among them are Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, France’s Emmanuel Macron, Germany’s Friedrich Merz, the UK’s Keir Starmer, and Italy’s Giorgia Meloni.
Pakistan Joins Global Push for Peace
Pakistan will also be represented at the summit, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar attending the signing ceremony for the Trump-brokered Gaza peace deal. The Pakistani delegation is expected to emphasize humanitarian aid and reconstruction support for Gaza while advocating for a durable two-state solution.
Egypt’s official statement said the summit aims “to end the war in the Gaza Strip, enhance efforts to bring peace and stability to the Middle East, and usher in a new phase of regional security.”
Also in attendance are UN Secretary-General António Guterres, European Council President António Costa, and Arab League chief Ahmed Aboul Gheit, underscoring the summit’s global significance. Notably, Israel has confirmed that no Israeli officials will participate.
Ceasefire and Prisoner Exchange
The summit comes as Israel and Hamas begin implementing phase one of Trump’s 20-point Gaza peace plan, which includes a full ceasefire, the release of 20 Israeli captives in exchange for 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from parts of Gaza.
Israeli government spokeswoman Shosh Bedrosian said all 20 captives are expected to be handed over to the Red Cross early Monday, before being transferred to Israel. In return, Israel will release 2,000 Palestinian detainees, including 250 serving life sentences, though prominent leader Marwan Barghouti is not among those slated for release.
The exchange will also include the transfer of 28 bodies of deceased captives from Gaza.
President Trump, en route to Israel ahead of the summit, declared: “The war is over. You understand that.” He credited Qatar’s mediation for the ceasefire breakthrough and said the summit would mark “a very special time for peace.”
Next Steps: Rebuilding Gaza and Defining Governance
While the ceasefire marks a significant breakthrough, major questions remain about Gaza’s post-war governance and reconstruction. The second phase of the plan envisions a new governing body without Hamas, a multinational peacekeeping force, and massive reconstruction efforts.
Experts warn that the road ahead will be difficult. “If you look at the situation in Gaza, it’s like an earthquake happened — there’s no government, no schools, nothing,” said Adnan Hayajneh, a professor of international relations at Qatar University.
US Vice President JD Vance acknowledged the challenges, saying Washington will maintain “consistent leverage and pressure” to ensure compliance but ruled out any US combat role on the ground.
Inside Gaza, Al Jazeera’s Hind Khoudary reported that humanitarian aid has begun to trickle in, but most residents remain dependent on relief supplies. “People are waiting not just for food but for tents, solar panels, and medicines,” she said from Deir el-Balah.
