by Emmitt Barry, with reporting from Worthy News Jerusalem Bureau Staff
Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt (Worthy News) – World leaders gathered Monday evening in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh to witness the signing of a landmark ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, marking what U.S. President Donald Trump called “a great day for the Middle East.”
The “Peace Conference,” co-sponsored by the United States, Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey, brought together more than 30 world leaders, including Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Trump signed the accord after delivering a speech in Israel’s Knesset earlier in the day, where he hailed “the dawn of a new age in the Middle East.”
“This is something people said could never happen,” Trump declared at the summit. “After years of suffering and bloodshed, the war is over — and peace in the Middle East is possible. It took 3,000 years to get here, and it’s going to hold up.”
The ceasefire agreement formally ends more than two years of war in Gaza and opens the door to a second phase of negotiations focusing on demilitarization and the formation of a post-Hamas governing body. Trump announced the creation of a new “peace council,” led by Egypt, to oversee Gaza’s political and security transition.
President al-Sisi praised the moment as “historic,” telling delegates, “President Trump is the only one capable of achieving peace in the Middle East.” He said Egypt will lead efforts to rebuild Gaza and provide humanitarian assistance, urging all nations to “turn this historic moment into a new beginning.”
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has long positioned himself as a key player in regional diplomacy, used the summit to emphasize Turkey’s commitment to supporting Palestinian reconstruction and political reconciliation. In his remarks, Erdogan praised the ceasefire as “a victory for diplomacy and for the people of Gaza,” while cautioning that “lasting peace requires justice.” He pledged that Turkey would contribute to humanitarian aid and infrastructure rebuilding efforts in coordination with Egypt and Qatar, and urged the international community to ensure that “no nation or group exploits this peace for political gain.” Erdogan’s presence at the signing — despite historic tensions with both Israel and Egypt — underscored Ankara’s desire to reassert its influence in the post-war Middle East order.
Although neither Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu nor Hamas representatives attended, the summit drew senior leaders from Europe, North America, and the Arab world. Netanyahu declined a last-minute invitation, citing observance of the Jewish holiday Simchat Torah, while several Arab and European nations reportedly opposed his presence.
In a symbolic gesture of reconciliation, Hamas released the final 20 living Israeli hostages on Monday as Israel began freeing around 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. According to Egyptian officials, the agreement also calls for coordinated efforts to clear debris, expand aid corridors, and train new Palestinian police units under Egyptian and Jordanian oversight.
As the summit concluded, Trump expressed confidence that the peace framework would endure. “This is not just about Gaza,” he said. “This is about changing the future of the entire region — and maybe the world.”
Copyright 1999-2025 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
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