Crystal Dike
United States President Donald Trump has called for a new era of peace and cooperation in the Middle East during a global summit on Gaza’s future co-chaired with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi in Sharm el-Sheikh on Monday.
The summit, attended by leaders and representatives from nearly three dozen countries, sought to build momentum for lasting peace in the region following a U.S.-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, which has seen the exchange of hostages and prisoners.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declined to attend, citing proximity to a Jewish holiday.
“This is a monumental day. This is a monumental moment in the history of the world beyond the Middle East,” President Trump declared in his opening remarks.
At the close of the meeting, Trump, el-Sissi, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani signed a document that Trump said would “lay the groundwork for Gaza’s future.”
“Today, Egypt and its Arab and Islamic allies confirm that peace remains our strategic choice,” said President el-Sissi, emphasizing that “experience over the past decades has proven that this choice can only be based on justice and equality of rights.”
Despite uncertainties about Gaza’s next steps amid the devastation of the prolonged conflict, Trump expressed determination to seize the moment for a broader regional settlement.
The U.S. President’s visit to Egypt followed a stop in Jerusalem, where he addressed the Israeli parliament, declaring an end to Israel’s war on Gaza.
“You’ve won,” Trump told Israeli lawmakers. “Now it is time to translate these victories against terrorists on the battlefield into the ultimate prize of peace and prosperity for the entire Middle East.”
Trump pledged U.S. support to help rebuild Gaza and urged Palestinians to abandon violence. “After tremendous pain and death and hardship, now is the time to concentrate on building their people up instead of trying to tear Israel down,” he said.
According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, more than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s two-year ground and air offensive on the enclave. A UN report released in September concluded that Israel had committed genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.