Inside Gaza Peace Summit in Egypt, Where Trump Hailed ‘New Beginning’ for Middle East

S President Donald Trump attended the Gaza Peace Summit on Monday alongside several world leaders to discuss the future of war-torn Gaza, based on his proposed 20-point peace plan. The summit concluded with a joint declaration signed by the leaders of the US, Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey, outlining a broad framework for Gaza’s reconstruction and governance.

The truce deal, brokered under Trump’s plan, saw 20 living hostages released and 1,700 Palestinian prisoners freed by Israel. Israeli forces also began withdrawing from several areas of Gaza, allowing humanitarian aid to flow into the enclave for the first time in months.

Key Takeaways from the Summit

1. ‘A New Beginning for Gaza’
   President Trump hailed the US-brokered truce as “a new beginning for Gaza,” saying there was now “a window to transform the region and reset ties between Israel and its Arab neighbours.”

2. Global Gathering of Leaders
   The summit drew leaders from across Europe and the Middle East, including Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian PM Giorgia Meloni, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al Thani, Pakistani PM Shehbaz Sharif, UK PM Keir Starmer, and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

3. ‘A Tremendous Day for the World’
   “This is a tremendous day for the world, a tremendous day for the Middle East,” Trump said, adding that the summit achieved “what everybody said was impossible.”

4. India’s Representation
   Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh represented India on behalf of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who later welcomed the truce deal in a post on X.

5. Meloni, the Sole Woman Leader on Stage
   Italian PM Giorgia Meloni stood behind Trump as leaders signed the declaration. Trump called her “beautiful,” while Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan added she looked “great” but quipped that she should “stop smoking.”

6. Egypt Awards Trump Top Honour
   Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi described the truce as one that “closes a painful chapter in human history” and opens the door to a two-state solution. He later awarded Trump the Order of the Nile, Egypt’s highest honour.

7. Trump Extends Olive Branch to Iran
   Referring to recent tensions following US airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites, Trump said, “The hand of friendship and cooperation is always open.”

8. Netanyahu Skips Summit
   Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu declined to attend, with his office citing proximity to a Jewish holiday.

9. ‘Board of Peace’ for Gaza Governance
   Concluding the summit, Trump proposed forming an international “Board of Peace” to oversee Gaza’s governance, replacing Hamas, which the US designates as a terrorist organisation.

Trump described the gathering as a “show of unity and strength,” declaring, “All the momentum now is behind peace — and we’re not going back.”